Runes of Dawn
by Brittany Lynn2
Summary: Fairy Tail has come together once again now that everyone has recovered from the Battle at Tartaros, mostly. Makarov has been summoned to help a country struggling after their leader is assassinated. New friendships will be made as several Fairy Tail mages join Makarov in Bellum while other head into the middle of it all.
1. Prelude

Hello Everyone! Here is a brief glimpse into my version of what Bellum, Desierto, and Enca will be like as we explore the countries with Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail characters as well as my newest addition, the Dabars family, that I have worked to create with a friend of mine. We have been working on this outline, together, for over 8 months now and I am finally ready to start putting our concept on paper!

Once I get a few chapters in and I start to bring in my character I will create a new "story" that will introduce you to each of them. If an author would like to use any of my characters or concepts from this story please refer to my profile on how to do so and the 2 steps that I would like you to follow. If there any other questions on using the characters please PM me otherwise I encourage you all to enjoy this new idea and please review!

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Master Makarov sat in the peaceful silence of the airship he was currently on with Freed as they flew through the night to the Bellum Royal Palace. They would be arriving around eight am with breakfast to be served as they talked about the recent assassination of the King Elian of Desierto. King Elian was a peaceful man who had been ruling over the country for forty years, becoming king at the age of twenty-one. To learn of his death hadn't been a surprise since Elian was quite sure there was a conspiracy to kill him, no-one knew why though.

Desierto defended the border with Joya quite actively, trying to stop any and all black market trades from tarnishing the countries beliefs and laws. They were on relatively good terms with the ruling matriarch in that respect and had alliances with their neighboring countries, Iceberg and Sin. The only real cause for concern, in Makarov's eyes, was in particular trades with Enca. The island had several dealings in the slave trade and most black market affairs, especially in the way of magical artifacts.

King Elian had no living relatives to take over, so it fell to Bellum and their alliance, to help in the interim with leading the country. Several council members from Desierto would be meeting with the Bellum king and council along with himself and Freed in order to come up with a plan of action. Right now there was a woman in charge of running the desert country, the wife to the King Irwyn advisor, Omar Dabars. Makarov had never met the woman but he was great friends with Omar as they had bonded over their large families and often had drinks while at mutual business meetings.

Bellum was a beautiful country known for its jewel mining and the fact that there were no mage guilds, instead, everyone was expected to earn a living by entering the workforce. If you had magic abilities then you were generally in a profession where the mage's magic would be an asset. The Royal Guard was fifty-fifty when it came to mages versus non-mages, each skillset was unique to where they were placed in the palace and in terms of defending the country. Each were trained to be able to defend against the other since there are more creative ways popping up all the time to block magic or hinder it. Bellum had an elite guard posted at the border with Pergrande and had been successful in keeping the majority of all things illegal out of the country.

Omar himself was a weather mage, had come from a long line of the military elite that served the Bellum monarchs for decades. One would think a weather mage would be better suited for agricultural purposes but the man wasn't just an advisor. Omar was also the King's personal guard and had spent years training with the exclusive team plus with such versatile magic it was easy to be on the defensive or offensive when required. Makarov had been saved by the man once when they were at a summit in Minstrel. The leaders and ambassadors for each country met up several years ago to talk about the rumblings of Zeref and his dark followers and how to handle the situation. Makarov had been distraught over having to banish his grandson from Fairy Tail that he was unable to sense the man creeping up on him, with the intent to stab him. Omar had sent a bolt of electricity through the man, ending his life while saving Makarov's who was eternally grateful.

The Master of Fairy Tail was in awe of how much things had changed from waking up after their seven years of sleep on Tenrou until the dust settled after the battle with Tartaros. He would forever be thankful for what all of his children did to save them all but he still had feelings of guilt when he thought of how he had disbanded the guild in order to take off on a mission from the King of Magnolia. Being trapped with Emperor Spriggan hadn't been too bad and he was happy that everything was resolved without the threat of war. When he returned home the guild was being rebuilt but his family was very much in pieces.

He'd learned of Igneel's death, Natsu's reaction, and the year-long training mission he had ventured on. He had laughed when he heard of how he melted the entire stadium at the Grand Magic Games, discovered Lucy there, and drug her around Magnolia looking for Fairy Tail members. Erza had felt defeated after her battle, leaving the guild before Makarov had made the announcement. She decided to work with Jellal and Crime Sorciere, find and taking down dark guilds and mages. Gray and Juvia had left together, which had come as a shock to the old timer but not so much after hearing their story. Gray had met his revived father, courtesy of a necromancer, which had torn him to shreds on the inside. Meanwhile, Juvia had been the one to take down the necromancer, freeing Gray's father from servitude and they took off to regroup and train. Wendy joined Lamia Scale with her friend Chelia, earning the nickname of the Sky Sisters due to their similar magics. The Thunder Legion recovered thanks to Porlyusica's antidote she made with blood from Laxus' fur jacket and had joined Blue Pegasus to continue their mage work and help those in need.

Lucy . . . well, no-one seemed to be able to get a word from the celestial mage. She had been radio silent in regards to what had happened to her during the battle, but one thing was clear, the young blonde wasn't quite are bright as she was before. With the guild rebuilding, it seemed to brighten her spirits but she was still always wary and cautious. She seemed to have a constant sadness around her. Hopefully, she'd be able to deal with whatever was bothering her, to find someone to put her trust in.

"Master," Freed called out to the short man. "We'll be landing in ten minutes."

"Thank you, Freed."

"Who were you thinking about just then, Master?"

"Lucy. Trying to see if there was a way that I could help her comes to terms with whatever it is that's eating at her."

"Lucy will be alright, she's a fighter who will be able to overcome whatever obstacle that's in her way. She'll open up to someone here soon. Natsu and her team will keep an eye on her, as well as Laxus. He'll fry anyone who pesters her too much while he's watching the guild in your stead." Both men chuckled as they got ready for their arrival. This day was going to be an extremely busy one, not to mention long, so both men sat there in silence knowing it'd be the last they'd have until well after supper that night.

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Please note that there is no set update schedule (right now) for this story, so please follow in order to be updated when a new chapter hits the ground.


	2. Chapter 2: Bellum Here We Come!

**Author Notes - **Well . . . here is this story. I had posted the first chapter ages ago to give you somewhat of an idea of what was to come. Finally, that time is now! I've been working on creating this new world of mine, along with Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail characters and Earthland continent creation and I finally have it all ready to go!

We are going to be going into my versions of Bellum, Desierto, and Enca, worlds that exist thanks to Mashima with my own flare to it. There will, as always, be our loveable Fairy Tail fam along with my new monarchs, villains, and heroes. I am so very excited for you to meet each and every single one of them! I was inspired by another author who had created their own world, within the FT realm, but after a parting of ways, I put this entire idea on hold. Some of you are aware the Defender of the Light hasn't been updated in as long a$$ time, which I do apologize profusely for. After I was slammed on that piece for people not liking how I was portraying fictional characters I pulled it and re-wrote it with characters from FT only, plus a couple of my own additions. What happened to me, and other authors I became friends with, hit me hard. Now, after a lot of back and forth with myself I have decided to complete DOTL. Won't let the haters get me down.

Originally this piece had a completely different look to it, but again, after a parting of ways I was left sitting on the fence. Thanks to a very close friend of mine I was able to re-create this story in a better light than I had originally thought, thanks to her sitting with me hours on end. She is also going to be illustrating some of my new characters as I bring them into the scene. I will post links to her Tumblr and Instagram pages when she is ready to roll, give you guys a real feel for these new characters. I will be posting on different social media forums as well such as Instagram as "brittleswrites06" or Tumblr "animelove4vr" or on A03 "Brittles_06" - I am going to try really hard to update on all 4 platforms but FF & A03 will be the major two.

I will be monitoring how many follows, favs, reviews there are between FF and A03. I know most of my stuff does quite well on A03, as I have been posting stories there still quite frequently but I am not sure how everything will be received on FF.

Without Further Adieu . . .

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It was another typical day at the guild with lots of drinking and several fights had already broken out and it wasn't even noon yet. At the center of every fight that day was Natsu and Gray, which just spurred the mass majority of others to join. The Thunder Legion had watched from the second balcony, Bickslow spurred the fights by causing mischief with his babies. Cana had leaned over the edge, sloshing her drink on to unsuspecting guildmates as Freed tried his best to not let her fall over. Erza was hollering at them, standing next to Cana, to knock it off lest she be forced to deal with them all.

Lucy swirled her straw in circular motions within her milkshake, barely having touched it before noon. It was pretty much all liquid now, even the whipped topping was nothing more than a thin layer on the top of her drink. She pushed her drink away, making her way to the hallway where she could head to the gym. Lucy pushed open the doors to find it empty, which is how she was feeling ever since Tartaros. She had yet to tell anyone what had truly transpired there and no one seemed too terribly bothered by the events after their year break.

She was extremely happy that the guild was back together, had celebrated several successes once they were altogether too. Lucy just didn't want to make a bit deal and have everyone focus on her because let's face it, she was constantly in danger due to her name or magic. Lucy often wondered what it would be like to be in a place where nobody knew who she was, where she could hide amongst the people and be . . . normal. Going from an heiress to a mage with rare magic in a popular guild didn't scream discreet.

The Thunder Legion had taken her in the last several months, Laxus claimed her as his dragonkin, a sister by oath, friendship, and love. They'd been slowly working on her physical abilities, mainly Bickslow was. He was an award-winning gymnast before he decided to join Fairy Tail. It paired well with his seith magic since he was better suited for long-range attacks, plus with his totems he was able to the most insane stunts in the air. Lucy's ability to star dress made her the perfect candidate for gymnastics as well.

However, Laxus decided she needed to be better equipped in hand-to-hand combat so between himself and Freed they had bruised her body until she learned her lessons, plenty capable of fighting back. Her lessons with Evergreen was something she had looked forward too. Meditation, the ability to pull all of one's energy and magic into a central place of calm had helped her immensely, especially after losing a beloved key. It was how she was able to come into each of her zodiac's star dress transformations, plus she could now use the abilities of her silver keys to help out on missions as well.

When Makarov returned, he and Laxus had a long talk about the guild and missions. Deciding that things needed to change up as it was apparent at Tartaros that not everyone worked well with others and certain missions required specific skill sets. They had changed the way items were posted on the mission board. Freed or Levy would review all the requests that came in, stating which five mages would best be suited for the job and then it was up to those mages to decide to go on the mission. At first, it had been a bit of a gong show but now it was proving more and more effective. Damages were at an all-time low which had the Master pretty much in tears every time he saw a report that stated he didn't owe money.

"Lucy! Lucy!" The blonde turned around as Mirajane ran up to her before she could leave the guild. "Master Makarov is on the lacrima-com and is asking for you to join the others." Lucy smiled, thanking Mira before she headed into the Master's office where the main com was located. Inside the room was the Thunder Legion, Cana, and Juvia gathered around a yellow, globe sized lacrima-com.

"Good, we're all here. Bickslow, if you would?" Bickslow poured a bit of his magic into the com and instantly Master and Freed's faces were in view. "Gramps. Freed. How are things in Bellum?"

"Well, things have been . . . interesting to say the least." Makarov stroked his snow-white mustache as he thought of the best way to explain things. "Tensions are high between Bellum and Desierto since we are trying to decide who should be the ambassador for Desierto. There are several within the kingdom but they are all in another state of Ishgar right now."

"With the assassination of King Elian it has fallen to their sister country to look after everything until the heir can be found," Freed explained to his friends.

"Found? Juvia doesn't understand."

"The Crown Prince was whisked away by his attendants when there were whispers of an assassination. However, the location they were to convene at was ransacked and empty so now there is no-one to take the throne. Enca has already begun to makes threats about invading to take over. There are a lot of things to consider and figure out."

"Cut to the chase, Gramps, what the hell do you want from the six of us in this room?" Laxus grunted, folding his arms over his broad chest.

"I've told the King of Bellum that I would bring a team of our brightest and strongest here to search for the lost prince. You'll be flying out tonight at eight pm so pack your bags for at least a month. Lucy? Think we can store everything in the celestial world?"

"I will ask Leo or Virgo to speak to the Celestial King for us. I don't see it being a problem though," Lucy answered Gramps as the screen flickered a couple of times.

"Thank you, my dear. A car with one of the King's best guards will be at the airport to greet you to bring you to us, so I'll see you all in the morning." The lacrima-com went dark as a heavy silence filled the room of select mages.

"Alright, you all heard Gramps. Get your asses home and get packed for at least a month. We don't know what weather we'll be incurring wherever we'll be traveling so ensure you're prepared for anything. I'll talk to Macao, Levy, Erza, and Mira about taking the reins of the guild while we are gone. DO NOT tell anyone outside this room where we're going, we don't need a political nightmare if Natsu and crew randomly showed up. Lucy, wait here for a moment." The rest of the mages filed out of the room, Juvia stopped to put a hand on Lucy's shoulder giving her a small squeeze and a smile of encouragement before she headed out the door."

"Was there something you needed, Sparky?"

"Are you okay with this mission?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're head and heart haven't exactly been here since the guild rebuilt. I know you and Bix have been doing a lot of talking while you train but even he doesn't know what is truly going on."

"I'm perfectly fine, Sparky," Lucy folded her arms over her chest, looking away from Laxus with a slight scowl on her face.

"Bull shit. I know something big happened in Tartaros, I just don't know what it is. I need you a hundred percent focused because we don't need any unnecessary or preventable accidents happening internationally."

"I'm not a helpless child, Laxus! I know how to put the job first, I was doing it on Team Natsu prior to this and I will continue to do so now! I will be fine for this mission." Lucy's fists were clenched at her side, her eyes burned from holding in the tears that were threatening to fall but she wasn't about to lose it in front of Laxus. She stopped shaking when Laxus slumped back in his chair, running his hand over his face.

"You know I trust you, right? That I care for you, for you to be happy again? Truly happy. Not this fake shit you are trying make the guild believe. I know I am not exactly the staple to tell you that you need to talk about what happened, but you can learn from my mistakes. If I had talked to Gramps years ago about Ivan and my feelings for the guild I might not have been banished. Then again . . . I was a pretty obnoxious kid so who knows." She snorted at that, a small smile breaking through her scowl.

"I get it. The scars though, they're still too new for me. I know it's been over eighteen months since Tartaros but it's still too fresh in my mind. I promise though, when the time is right I will tell someone and eventually the whole guild."

"Promise, Blondie," Laxus trapped her in his stormy gaze, knowing that if she promised she'd be held accountable as a celestial mage. He held his large out to her as well, partly because it was to seal the deal and the other reason was so that she'd know that he honestly was here for her.

"Promise." Lucy firmly gripped his hand, shaking it three times before she released it. She really needed to get out of the guild to rant, pack, sit in the tub, and sort herself out for this mission. Not necessarily in that order either. Lucy summoned Plue out when she approached the canal, knowing the little spirit liked to walk behind her on the ledge.

"Do you think I should talk to someone about Tartaros, Plue?"

"Pun pun. Pun pun pun."

"I knew you would agree with Sparky. Ever since he found out your weakness for sweets you've been his biggest fan." It had been a whirlwind of a day that ended as one of her happiest moments. Team Natsu had just returned from a mission, Lucy missing most of her outfit of the day with singed and frozen pieces adorning what was left. She was thankful she had decided with a pair of jean shorts with her tank top that day. Her shirt was covered in small burnt holes while her shorts seemed to have crystal ice droplets everywhere. Her shoulder had a rather nasty burn on it, she just wasn't sure if it was from fire or ice.

She had been on her way to Laxus' office when the door swung open before she could knock, the lightning dragon slayer had given her a once over before ushering her in. He motioned for Freed to leave with a single look. He rummaged through several of his desk drawers before he found a white metal case with a red plus sign in the center. He had pushed her into a chair, dabbing the cotton pad in disinfectant then applying it gently to her shoulder.

"What the hell happened this time?" He continued his gentle ministrations on her abused shoulder, cleaning it of dirt and forest foliage.

"An argument between Natsu and Gray that I tried to put a stop too since Erza was busy with the mayor. At least they didn't destroy the town, right?" She tried to laugh it off as if it was no big deal. They sat in silence for a while longer as Laxus finished bandaging her wound. "Where's Wendy?"

"The old hag asked her to help out for the day, so I'm sure you'll see her around supper time. Have you ever heard of dragon kinship?" Lucy's eyes were wide at the random topic being brought up by the normally stoic man.

"Well, kinship means to share a bond, through marriage or blood usually, but can be described quite broadly as well within society. Why?"

"Dragon kinship is quite similar to that. The dragon slayers in the guild have all taken one another as kin, brothers and sisters in arms. Usually, the only other time we take kin is when we find our mates, have children or find someone truly rare that we want to protect."

"So am I your mate or someone to protect? Because I sure as shit am not your child." Laxus barked out a laugh at the look on her face as she scrunched up her nose.

"Protect. My inner dragon and I see you as a little sister, someone we want to keep safe at all costs."

"Is that why you want me to train with you and the Thunder Legion?"

"Part of it. I want you to defend yourself and the best way to do that is to learn from the best of the best. My team has spent years harnessing what combat styles best suit out magic and we all want to help you."

"And the other reason?" She crossed her arms as a single eyebrow raised in question.

"Knowing that it's me and my team teaching my potential kin has my damn dragon preening. All of Ever's meditation bull shit actually paid off and I can speak to the dragon within the lacrima. Stupid thing has been insufferable about asking you to be my kin, my sister."

"Well, I'm pretty sure that everyone already assumes we're family so we might as well make is official as we can. What do I have to do?"

"I say some words, you will need to accept them, and then I will need to bite you to physically place a kin mark on you. Then, in turn, a mark of your own will show up in the same spot on me as it does on you. We can feel each others most intense emotions and will feel a pulse in any direction should be we captured, lost, and whatnot."

"The inside of my left wrist," she held her hand up to him, showing him where she wanted his mark.

"I, Laxus Dreyar, take you, Lucy Heartfilia, to be my dragonkin, my sister. That I will protect, defend, and preserve this bond that you are entrusting me with. I acknowledge the responsibilities and value of such a bond and will honorably admit to my mistakes or limitations. With Mavis as my witness, so mote it be."

"So mote it be," Lucy spoke the final words as Laxus brought her wrist to her mouth. She wasn't sure what to expect, but it definitely wasn't a ball of warmth where his fangs sank in. There was a sharp pinprick at first followed by an overwhelming heat that spread throughout her entire body, making her feel safe, secure, loved.

"Ah, shit! You're crying! Did I hurt you? Fuck, did I do it wrong?" Lucy felt her cheeks, felt the wetness of tears that seemed to have fallen on their own accord.

"Laxus," Lucy grasped his large hands in her small ones, getting him to focus on her. "I am perfectly fine. There were a whole bunch of emotions that came rushing to the forefront when you bit me and infused some of your magic into the mark. Speaking of the mark," Lucy looked down at her wrist, a wide smile gracing her happy features. There sat a black dragon with a wing partially open sitting within a raindrop that was partially open at the top, which held a yellow lightning bolt. The perfect mix of his heritage and magic. "It's beautiful Laxus."

"Not a nice as your mark on me, Blondie." He showed her his left wrist and she was in awe of the mark that adorned his wrist. A golden ten-pointed star within a ten pointed star brightly shone in the fluorescent light in the office. "Ten pointed star for the ten zodiac keys you have." That one sentence had filled Lucy with so much hope that she hugged the stunned slayer, who was even more confused with a small white spirit appeared on his desk, demanding that he not hurt his keyholder. Lucy had pulled away laughing as the two men had gotten into an argument but settled it by splitting a chocolate-covered wafer bar that Laxus had stashed in his desk. This had begun Plue's love of the large dragon slayer. Lucy still thought it was funny to see Plue ride around on Laxus' shoulder when they were in the guild together.

"Puuun pun pun punn."

"Sorry, Plue. I guess I was lost in my thoughts for a bit. I promised Laxus I would open up to someone about Tartaros when the time is right."

"Pun punn pun pun pun."

"You're right. It'll probably happen sooner than later. Did you want to sit in the tub with me when it's ready?"

"PUN!" Lucy laughed at her little spirit's enthusiasm at being able to swim in the warm waters with her. They entered her apartment together, immediately heading to the bathroom to turn the brushed steel taps on now since it would take a while to fill the tub.

"Good afternoon, Princess. How may I be of service?"

"I'm going to need to pack enough clothes and supplies for a month in Bellum, maybe for Desierto as well. There will be six of us going on the plane tonight, but Master was hoping it'd be alright if we stored everyone's bags in the celestial realm."

"I'd be happy to store the belongings of Princess's friends while they travel. What is the mission that you need to leave Fiore for?"

"We're going to be trying to find the lost, or stolen, Crown Prince of Desierto."

"Hmm, yes. I believe I recall big brother mentioning something about the King being concerned about this."

"The Celestial Spirit King is concerned about a human, non-mage prince? Why?"

"He has his reasons, Princess. None that he has shared with me so I wouldn't worry too much." Lucy did sigh in relief, knowing that the world wasn't about to end was always a reason to do a happy dance. "I will talk with Horologium to see what the weather in those two countries will be like this time of year, then I can pack accordingly."

"Thank you very much, Virgo." Lucy headed back to her bathroom to find Plue already swimming around in her tub. She chuckled at the small spirit before grabbing a black scrunchie from her basket and pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head, then undressed so she could sink into the warm waters. Lucy felt her power being pulled as Virgo returned to her bedroom to start packing.

Her prior conversation with Laxus was playing over in her mind. When would she be ready to talk about everything that transpired in the last eighteen months? Would talking help her move forward or was that something that people said to help another cope? All she knew was that Laxus was right, she needed to do something soon because meditating was only helping so much. She dreamed of Tartaros almost every night, sometimes she replayed the events with Aquarius, the next time Jackal would manage to kill her, other times she watched the demons beat Fairy Tail, taking over all of Magnolia. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a good dream or a peaceful sleep. If she was lucky she'd fall into a dreamless sleep due to the lack of sleep in the first place. None of which were healthy.

Why was is so hard to talk about in the first place?

"Princess?" Virgo called out before entering the bathroom. "I have all of your essentials packed for a month, and then some. You're probably going to want to eat and nap before you head out on the plane this evening. It's going to take two hours to get through customs, roughly eight hours to fly there, and another two hours with Bellum custom protocols. I'll meet you at the train station to take your friend's baggage."

"You're a lifesaver, Virgo. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do with all of your help some days."

"It's not a problem, Princess. Plue, you should be getting back soon as well. I believe Capricorn is looking for you."

"Pun pun pun, pun!"

"Plue! You have to go to your lesson with Capricorn. It's only for an hour and I hear here has the most delicious treats for you afterward."

"Pun, pun pun?"

"Yes, I will call you out again when I have a moment to hop in the bath again."

"PUN!" He disappeared in a slight mist of golden dust, leaving Lucy alone in her house. She pulled the plug before stepping onto the gray mat on the floor, wrapping a pink bath towel around her body. She pulled her scrunchie from her hair, letting her blonde locks fall to her mid-back. On the nightstand was a medium poached egg on brown toast making Lucy's smile at Virgo's thoughtfulness. Once she finished she dropped the towel, crawling into her warm, comfy bed naked and forever thankful that Freed had runed her house from anyone coming in without invitation, except her spirits. Her head hit the pillow and within moments she was asleep.

* * *

Her alarm woke her up several hours later, she felt more rested than she had in a very long time. Maybe speaking with Laxus, even if it wasn't about what happened, had managed to calm her nerves somewhat. Whatever it was, she thanked Mavis for the small piece of mind. Strolling into the bathroom she pulled her hair into a high ponytail, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and applied a bit of mascara to her long eyelashes. There was no sense in getting dolled up when she was going to be confined to a small seat on an eight-hour flight. A black thong and bra were the first articles she put on followed by black leggings, a royal blue spaghetti strap tank top, and lastly a baggy dark teal hoodie. Comfy clothes were a necessity for long trips. She grabbed her wallet, double-checking her I.D. and mage credentials were within it before slipping on her white flip flops to head down to the train station.

Lucy was the first to arrive at the train station, but she didn't have to wait long for the rest of them to meet up with her. The Thunder Legion all came from the north, Juvia from the east, and Cana from the west. The group was ready to head out so Lucy called Virgo to collect everyone's belongings before the bought their train tickets to the airport. She was quite thankful that the King of Bellum was paying for their airfare, Laxus filled them in on that perk while the board the train.

A short ride later they were walking through the airport, going through security and customs before they finally managed to stop for a bite to eat and drink. Citrus Plus was where Lucy headed for straight away, she was in need of a Berry Colada with an energy boost for the flight. Plus, their chicken greek wraps were to die for. She sat with the girls as they began to gossip about shopping, men, clubs, and alcohol.

"Did you know that Bellum is known for their apple cinnamon vodka? Apparently it's made with honey instead of grain like most hard liquor. I can't wait to get my hands on a bottle to try it out."

"I'm excited to go shopping," Evergreen gushed. "They have silks there that are infused with magic to help heighten magical abilities. They are incredibly expensive to buy in Crocus, so I am hoping that we can find some in my price range from the source."

"Juvia is most excited to see the jewels that they mine. Juvia hears that each jewel color has a specific meaning, healing and magical quality to them. Juvia has never heard or seen such a thing before. What about you Lucy?"

"I'm excited to explore the culture of Bellum, to see how a state operates when there are no mage guilds to protect them like the mass majority of the other states in the continent. To have a glimpse of what a simple life could look like.

"Wait up girl." Cana slammed her now empty cup onto the table. "Are you telling me you want to quit Fairy Tail? Quit being a mage?"

"No, I love the life I lead. However, I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to not be known as Lucy the Heartfilia Heiress or Lucy the Celestial Mage or Lucy, Natsu's keeper." The girls chuckled at Lucy's last title. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be just . . . Lucy."

"I sometimes forget that you weren't like Cana and I," Evergreen sat back in her chair, pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. "We were both brought to the guild at younger ages, knew heartache before we were ten and found our way to Fairy Tail. Sounds like you're going through a bit of an identity crisis." Lucy's eyes widened at that, she'd never even given that a thought. Was she trying to re-define herself since the Tartaros battle?

"Juvia does not have a happy past either, but she is forever thankful to Gray for bringing her to Fairy Tail and for everyone's forgiveness, especially yours Lucy."

"Water under the bridge, Juves." Lucy smiles, squeezing the bluenette's hand under the table.

"Time to board," Laxus called to the four of them, as they pushed in their chairs and made their way to the flight deck.

"Hey, boss man, why are there only the six of us standing here? I figured there'd be a lot more of us on this direct flight to Bellum."

"Welcome mages of Fairy Tail," a tall, curvy brunette called to them with a smile. "If you would please have your identification ready to board Bellum's royal jet we are ready to start boarding."

"Guess that answers that," Bickslow smirked as he was the first to get in line. The others all followed behind him as they made their way down to the jet.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Captain Palmer and I am in charge of getting you to Bellum. Miss Gianna and Miss Delaney are our stewardesses for this trip, so please inquire with them if you should need anything. They will go through the flight simulations in a moment. The time right now is nineteen forty-five and we are on schedule to leave by twenty hundred, which puts our arrival time at zero four hundred." The automation came over the intercom as the ladies showed us how to adjust our seatbelts, emergency exits, and what to do should the plane crash. Shortly thereafter they were heading down the runway, ready to take off.

Once they were at a high enough altitude the seatbelt light was turned off, which Lucy was thankful for because she desperately needed to go to the washroom. She beat Cana by seconds, sticking her tongue out at the card mage as she locked the door. Once she was out Cana flipped her the bird, the two women giggled uncontrollably at one another.

"Miss would you care for a complimentary drink?" Miss Delaney inquired as she passed a pamphlet to her to quickly look through.

"May I please have water and an apple juice?"

"Pussy! Get a real drink, Lulu!" Lucy rolled her eyes as Cana was handed a bottled beer. Looking around she saw that everyone else had a drink in their hand, including Juvia.

"I'll have whatever Juvia is drinking. It looks delicious!" Soon a light pink drink with a pineapple and a cherry screwed through a tiny sword was brought to her. She took a sip, closing her eyes and humming in delight. "Oh man, this is so good!"

"Juvia agrees with Lucy, this drink tastes like a jellied bear!" The two girls looked at one another before breaking down into peels of laughter.

"Am I missing out on something?" Cana leaned over to ask Evergreen who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Let them have . . . whatever this is. The two of them have been so tense since the guild was rebuilt after Tartaros," Evergreen whispered back to the other brunette, shooting Laxus a look to ensure he understood. The six of them spent the flight playing board games, card games, talking and sleeping. Lucy and Juvia definitely had a major buzz going on with how much they were giggling and smiling, which had Laxus smiling as well. It had been so long since he'd seen a genuine smile on his kin's face, plus he'd overheard what Evergreen had implied. Something had gone down between Juvia and Gray once they returned but it had shifted from potential lovers to friends. Juvia had spent more and more of her time around Lucy and Gajeel the last while, even left the guild for a couple of weeks when Gray announced he was dating Meredy. He figured Lyon would slink right on in there but Juvia had shit that down, muttering to herself when she passed the table he was at, about how she was done with ice mages. Apparently, he had two broken mages amongst this small team.

"Please return to your seats as we begin our descent into the capital of Bellum, Uldence. The seat belt light will be on shortly. Current Magnolia time is zero three thirty-nine which brings us to zero five thirty-nine Uldence time. It's currently seven degrees celcius with a high of twenty-six degrees, with sunshine the remainder of the week. Thank you." The Fairy Tail mages made their way to their seats, buckling up to prepare for their arrival at the Uldence National Airport.

"Once the aircraft has landed, and you've made it through customs, you will need to head to Section UR. Here you will meet your escort that will be taking you to the royal palace. I hope you have all enjoyed your flight." Miss Delaney announced over the intercom and the air pressure began to drop, signaling their descent into Uldence. Lucy and Juvia chatted quietly amongst themselves about their excitement to venture through a new state. Their excitement must have been contagious, as everyone else began to speak with their seatmates as well.

They disembarked from the aircraft, making their way through customs which they had been able to speed right on through. They assumed it had to do something with the fact that they were mages requested by the King himself. Lucy asked for directions to UR and a kind older gentleman explained where they needed to go. They stepped through a door that had UR in bold red letters and the royal family crest underneath it. In front of them was a white horse, white, carriage, and dozens of pink flowers decorating everything.

"This a joke? How are the six of us going to fit in that tiny thing?" Bickslow asked the group, none of which had an answer.

"Unless two of you are getting married, that isn't your ride," a bubbly female voice spoke from their left, every head swiveled in their direction. "Welcome to Bellum, Fairy Tail mages. My name is Odessa Dabars and I will be in charge of getting you to the palace as well as ensuring you are settled into your rooms this morning."


	3. Chapter 3: Welcome to Uldence

Hey Everyone! Sorry for the long wait on the next chapter but I finally found some time to write over the break. I'm super excited to be back at this story after my 2-month hiatus. It's been stupidly busy leading up to the holiday season but I wanted to make sure I got a new chapter up before the new year, where I hope to update this story every two weeks. I had a friend draw a picture of the new character I briefly introduced in Chapter 2, Odessa. You can follow her on tumblr or Instagram jessmariearts where she'll be posting all of my original character drawings. The picture will also be posted on my Instagram page brittlewrites06 as we continue to partner up on this story. Leave some lovin on this new chapter and on the pictures too please, we'd love to know what you all think!

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Odessa yawned for what had to be the tenth time in the last half hour, incredibly bored from the formal proceedings of the court. Honestly, why didn't they just name her aunt the ambassador and get this shit on the road? Every moment they wasted in tireless debates meant the Crown Prince was who knows where with heaven only knows who. If he was lucky they were keeping him as a prisoner for ransom, however, the flip side to that was that he had been sold as a slave to . . . well, there were many different countries who thought of slaves in different capacities. Around here Enca bought them for workers but there were places in Ishgar where you were bought for pleasure, drug mules, procreation, and countless other reasons. It was a depraved industry in her mind.

She covered up another yawn, wishing she hadn't opted to help the team from Fiore when they arrived. Odessa definitely could have gotten a couple more days of work in, since she was on the verge of a breakthrough in the sea mammal trafficking ring she stumbled upon while studying the migration path of a pod of Viridi Kelpie last month.

"Miss Dabars?" She blinked several times before focusing on the green-haired mage before her. "I am sorry to have disturbed your thoughts but I was hoping I could borrow you for a moment?" Odessa smiled at Freed, the serious yet kind-hearted mage that Master Makarov had brought with him. He had been the highlight of her two-day stay thus far, especially since his Master had gotten him to dress in clothing more fitting to the Bellum culture. He had been dressed in dark brown leather shoes, tan khaki pants, a blood-red deep v-neck t-shirt paired with a long black sleeved cardigan and a navy blue silk paisley scarf that was wrapped once around his neck to hang loosely at his hips. The style looked really really good on him, much better than the petticoat and cravat. A cravat?! Honestly, what century did they find Freed in?

"It's not a problem at all Freed. What can I help you with?"

"I was hoping you would be willing to gather my teammates from their plane that will be landing in approximately two hours? I know the drive is a solid hour but I wasn't sure if you would need more time or not." There was a glint in his eye and she knew she'd been caught.

"How many yawns did you witness?"

"A dozen."

"Twelve? It was only eleven by my count."

"When you walked to the water cooler you yawned once right before you turned to head back to the table."

"Hmmm, well when you're right you're right. I would love to pick up your fellow teammates." Odessa had a shit-eating grin on her face, finally, an excuse to leave these boring-ass proceedings.

"You'll be looking for the following mages," where he had pulled a picture from she wasn't sure but she listened intently as he pointed to six different mages, all of which would definitely stand out in Bellum. If their magic power didn't tip the scales then the height of this Laxus and Bickslow characters would. Rarely anyone broke six feet in Bellum and if she had to guess they were both well over that. The four girls were gorgeous, with that exotic feels to them and . . . interesting choice in clothing, or lack thereof. Bellum wasn't a country of prude's by any means but the women here didn't show off there bodies quite like that.

"Thanks for the jailbreak Freed, I definitely owe you when I return." He chuckled as she quickly, yet politely, fled the room. Once those twin doors had closed though she was racing down the hallways of the palace. The Palace stood on the southern part of the country, close to the ocean where they were best able to defend themselves. She was walking to the valet station so she could get the limo pulled around when another idea hit her. What better way to show them Uldence than by taking them the fun way around the city? The air was chilly this morning so she pulled her long cardigan around her petite frame, doing up four buttons before she waltzed up to the garage.

"Miss Odessa, what brings you here today?"

"Hey, Mr. Athma. I'm heading out to pick up some guests from the airport just looking for an . . . appropriate ride." Her eyes were shining with excitement and mild trouble.

"You want them to get to the palace right from the plane or do you plan on taking your time?"

"The second one, obviously." The wrinkles in his face doubled as he laughed at the young woman before him.

"How many people are you going to be touring with?"

"Six others, all new to the Bellum culture."

"Taking them to Madame Reora's then?"

"Is there any other place to hit up for a solid breakfast?"

"Alas, there is not. Why that woman doesn't expand is beyond me."

"I'm sure she has valid reasons," he gave her a pointed look, both breaking into laughter. "Whatever it is I just hope she passes the shop on to her niece she's working to the bone training. It would be such a shame to lose that place. It's one of my many guilty pleasures in life."

"Yours and half the cities I am sure. Which mounts would you like to use today? Tenebris and his crew haven't been out in a while," Mr. Athma said with a knowing smirk on his face.

"My poor baby boy!" Odessa sighed, shaking her head. "Can you round up that Innali crew for me, please? I would very much like to take them out on the town."

"Why don't you help me saddle them for our guests?"

"You're the best Mr. Athma!" Odessa took off ahead of the laughing man, rounding a corner to face a locked door. She hopped from foot to foot, anxiously waiting to gain access to the room behind the door. Keys jingled in shaky hands as the keeper slowly opened the heavy wooden door.

"Tenebris, I have a surprise for you, my boy. Someone would like to take you out and about today." Odessa was always amazed at how the handler could speak to the creatures, which made sense since he was a wild mage. Her cousin was also one, and she was always in awe watching as man and beast communicated as if it was nothing. Mr. Athma had been the palace beast caretaker for as long as she could remember.

"Where is my sweet boy at?" Ice blue eyes pierced the darkness before she flat on her back with a rough tongue running up the side of her cheek. "I've missed you too Tenebris! I need your help, think you and the team are up for some time out in the streets this morning?" He stepped off the young woman, eagerly awaiting his next instructions. "We are picking up six mages from the airport, taking the scenic route through the city before we bring them back here. There is a mincemeat roll in it for each of you." Six more heads popped out from their stalls as they all sat behind their leader.

"Bribery, really Odessa?"

"You call it bribery I call it a treat for helping me out." Tenebris rubbed his head against her chest, a purr vibrating straight through her. She stroked the soft fur of her head before she set about helping Mr. Athma saddle up the pack. Within a half-hour, she was sitting in the saddle, reigns in her hands as the seven beasts set out to the airport. She hadn't been on a ride in such a long time, she had forgotten how peaceful it could be. She rode up to where she would be leaving the Innali so that she could gather the Fairy Tail mages.

"Maneat," she firmly told the seven beasts, all of which found a spot on the cement floor to curl upon. She showed her badge to the airport security, who let her in immediately. Sometimes having a father that worked as the King's advisor had some pretty good perks.

"Did you see the blonde brooding man with the scar? I didn't know a person could be so . . . so ripped!" Squeaked a small woman who happened to be chatting to her right.

"I know, right! Did you get a look at the mysterious man in the mask? Do you think he comes from a clan of giants?"

"I would think so. The woman they were traveling with were all beautiful, but they definitively aren't a modest bunch." The two women broke into a fit of giggles as they conspired to dress like that for their husbands tonight. Odessa was on the right trail that was for sure. She saw the group of six idly chatting amongst themselves when they came across a white horse pulling a white carriage.

"This a joke? How are the six of us going to fit in that tiny thing?" Bickslow asked the group, none of which had an answer.

"Unless two of you are getting married, that isn't your ride," Odessa's bubbly voice spoke from their left, as every head swiveled in her direction. "Welcome to Bellum, Fairy Tail mages. My name is Odessa Dabars and I will be in charge of getting you to the palace as well as ensuring you have seen our beautiful city and are settled into your rooms today."

"It's nice to meet you," Laxus held out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Laxus and these are my guildmates, Bicklsow, Evergreen, Cana, Juvia, and Lucy."

"Ah yes, Freed did mention each of you to me as well as your magic capabilities. Juvia?" Odessa pointed to the blue-haired woman. "I was hoping I could pick your brain on water magic since we both use it."

"Juvia would be delighted to talk to Odessa about their shared magic."

"Awesome! I'll catch up with you sometime tomorrow after you're settled, and we can go from there."

"Won't we be on the road tomorrow?" Evergreen inquired, raising an eyebrow at the woman before them.

"Have you ever been part of royal court proceedings?" Lucy and Laxus moaned at the same time, the later blonde ran a hand down the front of his face.

"We're going to be here for a few fucking days, aren't we?" Odessa shrugged her shoulders.

"It could be a couple days or a few weeks. If it's a few weeks we'll probably be on the verge of a war, but I wouldn't worry. There are ways to . . . persuade a room full of crones." Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh, I like her!" Bickslow threw an arm around her shoulder. "You and I are going to get along swimmingly, I can already tell."

"Fuck, as if we need two mischief-makers around," Evergreen mumbled more to herself than the others.

"So, I was thinking that we'd go into the city to this amazing little shop I know of for breakfast, then we can play twenty questions about Uldence while touring it."

"Do these questions include ones about one sexy water mage we just met?" Bickslow inquired to the tourguide.

"It can, but there is one condition."

"Name it hot stuff and it'll happen."

"YOU," Odessa pointed at the seith mage, "Are going to remove that stupid mask while you're with me or any member of my family. Secondly, we need to get you into some different clothing so you don't stand out quite so much." The girls all giggled at the prospect of shopping, while Bickslow stood there with his mouth open. They followed her to a different section of the airport, all stopping in their tracks when the doors opened to reveal several large animals.

"What are those?" Cana pointed to the beasts in the room.

"Innali, the lion wolves. They are mostly wolf-like with the mane of a male lion. You'll find that in Bellum we prefer to travel using our trusted beast friends. They are all inconsequential to our way of life. This is my main man, Tenebris, and he's the pack leader for all Innali in the capital. Just hold your hand out to their noses so they can commit your scent to memory and take a mount." Odessa stepped into the stirrup, swung her right leg over before comfortably sitting in the saddle. The others all followed suit, Odessa checking over her shoulder to ensure they were ready to go before patting Tenebris on the left side of his neck three times. The Innali stood up, the other six followed suit before they took off at a leisure pace. Odessa wasn't mean enough to set a harsh pace for the newbies, although the thought did cross her mind briefly.

"So how do you fit into the royal court?" Lucy asked, knowing she'd probably be asking the most questions from the group.

"My Uncle and Aunt are indispensable to the crown." It wasn't a lie but she wasn't sure how much outside information to tell them at this point in time. Who knew who else could be listening in right now.

"Odessa said that she uses water magic, so does that mean Odessa work for the crown using her magic?" Juvia was quite curious as to how a water mage found work in the palace.

"Actually, I'm a marine biologist. As I'm sure you're aware we don't have any guilds here in Bellum, and most of the southern part of Ishgar is similar in that regard. I was trained in the palace with my family though, so I am well versed in combat, strategy, and magic."

"So you're saying you'd be willing to spar?" Laxus grinned at the prospect of doing some training.

"Absolutely. Anyone of my family members would be more than willing to spar with the members of Fairy Tail. Granted, they are all out and about right now. A summons was sent for each of them, so you'll see them trickle in over the few days, give or take."

"What happened to your parents?" Cana inquired. "I don't mean to pry but you said you lived with your aunt and uncle?"

"My parents died when I was quite small, I honestly don't remember what happened and my aunt and uncle don't talk about it often. Uncle was quite devasted when his sister and brother-in-law passed away. I was only three and my two older siblings were seven and nine but even they refuse to say anything on the topic. Maybe one day I'll get them drunk enough to talk about that particular topic." A sad smile graced Odessa's lips. She had many arguments with her family members growing up about why it was such a secret, now that she was older she was more curious. She'd seen pictures of her parents but that was it.

"Are you single? Do you have a brother as hot as you?" Cana asked, wiggling her eyebrows causing Odessa to laugh.

"Yes, I'm single, and wouldn't calling my brother is hot be a bit . . . odd?"

"Hell no! My old man is hot as fuck and if you'd met my brothers-from-other-mothers in my guild you'd know why I'm asking."

"Using your logic than I suppose my brother is an easy eight out of ten."

"Single?"

"Haha, yes Cana, my brother is single as is my sister. My two cousins are also single so try not to flirt too much."

"No promises, especially if they're as sexy as you." Odessa flushed dark red. She had never had another woman call her sexy before. Being attracted to the same sex wasn't looked down upon in Bellum but she could honestly say she'd never been so openly hit on by another female before.

"Don't mind Cana," Lucy smiled at Odessa as she rode up beside her. "She hits on anything that's human."

"Lu, why you gotta hurt a girl like that. You know I'm all about the D!"

"Which is why you grope me so frequently, huh?"

"Just sizing up my competition." Lucy shook her head, a small smile on her pink lips.

"We were told that King Elian had no living relatives yet we are now rescuing the supposed Crown Prince. How does that work?"

"Desierto is a country that was constantly being pulled in many different directions by opposing forces. The past rulers were all swayed by different countries, looking to gain access for black market goods. Up until King Elian the country had been a dumping ground for all sorts of illegal activities. He took the throne when he was nineteen, ruling for almost fortty-five years and accomplishing so much more than any other King before him. For the first time in centuries, there was a sense of peace and calm which also means there are a bunch of jaded people in the world."

"He never took a queen? That seems quite odd, doesn't?" Evergreen quizzed Odessa as the Innali began to slow.

"It definitely wasn't the norm, that's for sure, but when you looked at how many people were after the young king it didn't make sense to have a family that could be used for leverage against him."

"Everyone has urges though," Cana pipped up from the back. "I highly doubt that he was celibate his entire life."

"No, there are only rumors to my knowledge, that he had found a woman when he was in his mid-forties and sired a child with her. They were kept hidden from everyone except a select few people. The rest of those details I am unsure about and all that I really know is that he was taken being moved from one safe-house to another."

"You think foul play was involved?" Lucy inquired as they came to a stop.

"Personally, yes I do. If you hear anyone else speak on the topic though you'll hear the official answer that nothing is wrong. Keep to the norm until we find out more."

"I suppose they'll fill us all in when your family arrives?" Evergreen dismounted her Innali, giving him several scratches behind the ear.

"Easier to tell us all at once then we can divide and conquer if need be," Odessa shrugged her shoulders. "I promised you breakfast, so welcome to Madame Reora's! She serves the most amazing pastries in all of Bellum!"

"Are you back again brat!"

"She secretly loves me," she winked at the Fairy Tail mages before turning to address the shop owner.

"Love is a strong word, deary." Madame Reora was just over four feet tall, caramel skin covered in wrinkles, and white hair piled high into a tight bun. "Is this the crew you're feeding this morning? The ones you called about earlier?"

"Yeah, they are, granny."

"Well bring them all inside, I have a booth saved for you with the food set out already. The rolls you requested are on the tray in the back."

"Thanks, granny! Why don't you all have a seat in that booth there while I give our travel companions a snack for doing such a great job so far this morning." Odessa passed through the revolving kitchen door to find the tray of extra-large treats. "Tenebris! Boys! Look what I have for you," she sang out to them as the boys lined up to receive their treats plus a forehead scratch. Tenebris bumped his cool nose to her chin in thanks before chowing down. Odessa giggled at the affection beast before joining her guests.

"You weren't kidding when you said these pastries were the best. Think Mira would come here to take lessons?" Bicklsow said with a between bites of his sweet roll.

"Highly unlikely. There is only one other person who knows the secret recipes and she's already sworn to take them to her grave." Bickslow's pout was pretty cute but watching as Evergreen beat him with a fan as he tried to steal food from her plate was priceless.

"Why do you smell weird?" Laxus finally asked, the question burning in his mind. Lucy choked on her food as she glared at her kin.

"Laxus! You're as bad as Natsu! You can't just comment on a person's scent like that!"

"Why not? She smells . . . muted I guess. I get a faint smell of white water lilies but there's something hidden and it's bugging me."

"Your dragon senses can put a smell to humans?"

"Mages mostly. It's easier to distinguish what smell magic gives off."

"Huh, well that's pretty cool but I honestly have no idea what you're referring too. I'm just . . . me."

"If you say so, but I won't let this go."

"You want to investigate more, Sparky, then have at it. Just let me know what your nose figures out because now I'm curious." Laxus glared at her but Odessa just stuck her tongue out at him. The rest of their morning was filled with idle chit chat about Bellum's jewel mining industry and ended with the girls begging for Odessa to take them on a tour of the facility outside of the capital, which she happily agreed too.

"Now that we have full bellies let's walk down the street to where the merchant shop is for your new clothes. Bellum deals with humid heat since we're by an ocean and all, so it's best to find clothes that flow and not trap the heat like skin-tight clothes tend to. Women our age are a big fan of skirts and crop tops while the guys usually opt for shorts and sleeveless tees. It's simple, cute, and fun! But first things first, I need your mask, please. Don't think I forgot about your promise."

"It helps me control my magic," Bickslow tried to let Odessa keep it on.

"Bull shit," she stood with her hands on her hips, intensely staring up at the tall man. "The only thing that mask does is make you feel safe, like a baby blanket. You've been told seith magic is an awful type of magic but here in Bellum we aren't magic prejudiced. Each magic has a past, good or bad, and if you continue to let it define you the rest of your life how are you truly supposed to grow? You have the utmost control over your magic, I'd dare say you keep tighter reigns on it than the demon take-over mage in your guild."

"How . . ." Bickslow blinked several times as he held his helmet in his hands. "How do you so much about me, about us?"

"Marine biologist by trade, research is kinda my thing. Plus what kind of strategist would I be if I didn't look into the mages that may be accompanying us on our mission? That, aaaand I might have talked to Freed and Master Makarov about all of you already." The sheepish grin she had on her face didn't diminish the twinkle in her eyes. He handed his helmet over only to Odessa only to gape open-mouthed at her when she crushed it within a small water bubble she created in her hand.

"Oh! Juvia has always wanted to learn to harness the crushing powers of her magic," blue eyes were enthralled watching Odessa use her magic. Juvia took the golf ball-sized chunk of metal from the water user's hand, marveling in how smooth it was.

"Now to finish shopping so we can head back to the palace and take a dip in the ocean pool. It's the only way to cool down on such a hot day!" The prospect of swimming had everyone eager to find some clothes quickly. They were in and out within fifteen minutes, a new record when it came to shopping with any of the fairy women. The trip back to the castle was made in great haste, extra excitement fueled them onwards. They returned the Innali to their stable for a good grooming, a brief visit with Mr. Athma to thank him for letting them borrow such amazing beasts before heading inside the palace walls.

"Miss Odessa, I'm glad to see you've returned with everyone unscathed."

"We're not that bad Freed, after all, Team Natsu isn't here." The fairies laughed at Cana's joke, while Odessa stood off to the side to let them say their hellos.

"I'll show everyone to their rooms, Miss Odessa. Your aunt and uncle would like to speak to you before the evening meal."

"Oh! Thanks, Freed. I guess I'll see you all in a little bit then, so have fun in the ocean pool!" Laxus watched as Odessa bounced out of sight before looking at Freed, who was watching Bickslow.

"What happened to him?" Freed inquired turning slowly to face Laxus.

"A certain water mage gave him something to think upon earlier."

"I suppose we have her to thank for his gaudy helmet being gone?"

"Yup. How long have you been around Odessa for?"

"She was the one who welcomed us into the palace, so I've seen her the most during our stay. Why?"

"Once we are settled I have a theory to run past you, one for your ears only." The serious tone in Laxus' voice told Freed all he needed to know about the seriousness of the topic.

"You don't trust her?"

"Hmm, no that's not it. Just something that I can't quite put my finger on, or should I say nose." Freed nodded his head before he led his guildmates to their rooms in the east wing of the palace. If Laxus was puzzled then he wasn't sure how he could help but he'd try nonetheless.


	4. Chapter 4: Tears of the Past

Omar Dabars watched as his niece left his office, less pep in her step than when she entered. He didn't like to reprimand his family but she needed to be cautioned about her magic. He didn't honestly believe Fairy Tail was part of the assassination but he wasn't completely sure that Fiore was out of the picture. The Crown Princess was known for making less than stellar decisions, case and point the Eclipse Gate. How foolish the future Queen was to take the advice of a small handful of people, some she barely knew, in order to complete an idiotic plan. After that incident, there were several countries that had tightened the reigns of Fiorian citizens entering their countries, Bellum being one.

"You know that you can't keep it hidden from her forever." Omar looked to the left where his wife, Risa, sat in an armchair watching him. Risa hadn't aged a day, at least not to him. Her gold and purple heterochromatic eyes held a stern look in them as she shook her shoulder-length white hair in her obvious opposite opinion of his choice. "How long do you plan to hide the truth from her?"

"Until she's ready for the responsibility and potential consequences of it." He watched his wife stand, smoothing out her skirt before marching up to the front of his desk.

"Everyone but Odessa knows. They love her and nothing has or will change from her knowing. Can't you see you're potentially creating a bigger rift? She deserves to know the truth, Omar. Before it gets out and causes . . . issues." Risa turned on her heel to head out the door but not before looking over her shoulder. Her husband was a good man, a fierce protector of the King and Bellum but he had reservations when it came to his family. He ran a hand through his short brown hair, emerald green eyes tired from the days of dealing with political avenues. "You're only going to hurt her more by not telling her. She might be the youngest out of the five but she is no means the weakest. You need to stop seeing her that way due to her age and short stature. What would Ophelia say?"

She heard him gasp as she shut the door to his office. It might have been an underhanded move, bringing up his deceased sister, but she needed to get it through his abnormally thick skull. They'd fought over this topic so many times, more so in recent months than before. Risa had never spoken to Odessa about the topic because it wasn't her sister that had passed away in the accident, just her sister-in-law. Still family just not by blood and Omar was using that as his gambit. Infuriating man!

"Good evening Mrs. Dabars." She smiled as she looked to see Makarov sitting on the ledge of the stone fence leading out to the gardens. He was smoking a pipe while looking about the garden. There were a few unfamiliar faces wandering around but judging from their looks it must be the mages he sent for from Fairy Tail.

"How are you this evening, Master Makarov?" Risa had been to many countries as the Bellum ambassador over her career and while she wasn't a fan of the Fiorian monarchy she didn't hold as any reservations about Fairy Tail as her husband did. She'd been following the guild since the main members had disappeared for seven years, had asked their King to help in the aid of the search. They had but after three years they had called it quits too, they could only send so many mages to help for so long until it was deemed a lost cause. She knew in her heart that they were alive, so she had to believe as her last family member had been trapped on that island.

"Enjoying the peace of the early evening before we all meet up for dinner. My children can be quite . . . boisterous which is tiring at times. Granted I am sure you're aware of this having raised five children yourself."

"Five is nothing compared to an entire guild." They shared a chuckle over that. "I hear you have a favor to ask of me though and I do apologize for not seeking you out sooner I do hope it wasn't too urgent."

"Nothing of the sort, my dear. I have a mage, Lucy, who has been something traumatic, or at least believe she has been. She refuses to open up to anyone at the guild, including her closest friends and I am getting worried. The eye of an old man who looks after over thirty people can be deceived, but a mother's intuition is never wrong."

"Are you asking me to spy on the girl, Makarov?" She eyed him up, smirking at his conniving nature.

"Spy is such a strong word. I'm just hoping you might have a chance to talk to the girl, see if I'm just an old fool or not."

"Old you might be but a fool I assure you, you are not. Nevertheless, I will help you out with your small request. It's the least I can do for answering our call for aid."

"If it wasn't for your letter I doubt we'd be here right now. You definitely pulled the right strings and I do have several mages on my back-up list depending on how many ways we need to charge forward in."

"It's greatly appreciated. Do you think . . ." She squeezed his hand, shaking slightly.

"No idea. That mage is a bit of a wild card so we will see if or when the time comes. Now if you'll excuse me I think I'm going to take a nap before dealing with my miscreants at supper tonight." Risa smiled at the short man, watching him walk away as she continued on her path through the gardens. She took a deep breath of the fragrances, feeling energized as her vine magic hummed to life under her skin. Risa had grown up with botanist parents, both having floral magic that had been passed down to her. Gardens and forests were a place where she could relax, feel at ease in her own skin or in whatever country she was visiting. The sound of sniffles brought her around to the fountain in the middle of the small courtyard.

Blue hair cascaded down in soft curls as shoulder shook from trying to keep her tears at bay. Risa quietly walked up to the young woman, placing a comforting hand on her knee. Beautiful deep blue eyes stared back into her own, pain, sadness, and confusion clearing portrayed throughout them.

"Juvia is sorry to have disturbed you. Juvia thought she was alone in the garden after the others had left." She tried to brush the tears away, working on pulling herself together. A hand rested on her outside shoulder, gently pulling her towards the older woman, who was enveloping her into a hug. Juvia was shocked at first but as the warmth of the hug spread throughout her body the tears came back full force, heart-wrenching sobs pulled from her.

"What boy has caused you so much pain?" Teary eyes briefly looked up, surprise written in them. "I have three girls in and around your age so I am well acquainted with what heartbreak looks like."

"The man Juvia has been in l-l-love with just got engaged to another. One of Juvia's good friends. Juvia loves Gray very much but he loves Meredy instead." A new set of tears started falling down her pale cheeks as she clung to the front of the woman's blouse like it was a lifeline.

Risa stroked the woman's hair, a soothing action her girls had all been fond of when they were upset. Makarov had informed her and Omar about most aspects of the mages that were coming to Uldence, so she knew about the tumultuous relationship that was Juvia and Gray. She wasn't sure what she could expect from each of the mages that were coming but one thing rang true with six that had arrived. None of them had a mother to confide in, especially not about things of the heart such.

Unrequited love.

A one-sided love could be harder to overcome and one that had been going on as long as this water mages would take time to heal. Time and distance. Both of which she would be getting now that she was in Bellum. The mission would help her find a new path as she picked up the broken pieces of her heart.

"Gray was the one who brought sunshine back into Juvia's life. The darkness went away when Juvia first met, and fought him. He turned down my advances but there were times where he seemed as if he was coming around. Clearly, Juvia read all the signs wrong."

"Perhaps, what you think is love is actually adoration?" Juvia sat up slightly to see the patient smile on the woman's face. "Maybe what you truly feel towards the ice make mage is gratitude for helping you out in a dark moment of your life. Gratitude that turned into adoration when he forgave you and helped you into Fairy Tail?"

Gratitude? Adoration? Had . . . had she really not been in love with Gray? Then why did it hurt so much to know that he loved another?

"There are many different types of love in the world, dear Juvia." Risa continued to stroke her hair as the tears began to disappear. "Once you have time to sort through your emotions you may find the truth to your situation. Often times we match up feelings with what's easiest, following that path instead of looking beneath the surface at what we are truly feeling." Juvia sat there in thought, pondering this woman's words just not quite ready to pull away from her motherly embrace. An embrace she hadn't felt in her life. Ever.

"Juvia is sorry to have made a mess of your blouse and for you to see Juvia in such a state is embarrassing." Her cheeks were red as she eased herself away from the white-haired woman. "May Juvia know the name of the woman who has been kind enough to help her?"

"Risa Dabars."

"Dabars? Are you Odessa's family?"

"I am her Aunt. It's a pleasure to meet you Juvia." Risa rested a hand on the side of Juvia's face, thumb stroking her cheek. "I'm here if you ever need to talk. Sometimes an outside perspective helps us all. As a mother myself it pains me to see such a beautiful and sweet-hearted woman as yourself hurting."

"Juvia is very grateful for the kindness you have shown her. Juvia will keep your words in mind."

"Now, how about we go get cleaned up for supper?" Risa looked at her watch. "I imagine we have a half-hour before we need to make an appearance and I have the loveliest dress I want you to wear. Nothing helps to make us women feel better than dressing in something pretty! This dinner party may not be formal but the sundress I have in mind for you will be sure to lift your spirits!" They giggled as Risa wrapped her arm around Juvia's shoulders, offering her comfort, as she directed them down the halls to her room. She opened the door to her room to see clothes strewn everywhere across her room.

"Odessa," Risa exasperatedly called out to her niece. "Must you make a mess in my room?"

"It's just clothes, Auntie. It's not like you and Uncle actually sleep in this room, it's more of an escape when you're home." She peaked around the corned, eyes widening as she saw Juvia with her aunt and had been clearly crying. "You okay Juvia?"

"Juvia will be, thanks to your aunt."

"She dropped the Mom on you, didn't she?"

"Dropped the Mom?" Juvia tilted her head in confusion.

"Dropped the Mom, it's what we call it when she offers insight, guidance, and comfort when we least expect it. It's super annoying when she does it foil our fun but most of the time she uses her superpowers for good." The two young women laughed as Risa rolled her eyes at her niece's ridiculousness, the smile stayed in place though.

"We're getting ready for supper and I thought an outfit change would help clear the clouds for a bit."

"Oh! The lilac dress!" Odessa dived back into Risa's walk-in closet, excitedly looking for the one she was referring too. She pulled out a simple t-shirt dress that stopped just above the knee and had a simple white belt that would sit under her chest. "You have to try this on! It'll look amazing with your long blue curls and porcelain skin!" Juvia blushed as she pushed her behind the screen to change.

"You going to tell me the reason you're so excited to dress up for supper? Between you and Zaltana it's like pulling teeth. Has nothing to do with any of the new arrivals, does it?"

"Pft, don't be ridiculous. Why would I need to dress up for a boy or anything like that."

"Why indeed." Risa smiled to herself as she grabbed a hunter green strapless dress that hugged Odessa's curves. The water mage usually wore simple flowing pieces, gave her the ability to move about like water. She bounced behind another screen as Risa found some matching jewelry for tonight, pearls for Juvia and a chunky gold-leafed necklace for Odessa. The girls came walked out at the same time, pointing at one another while gushing how pretty the other looked.

"You'll have to grab your own shoes but I did find these to match your outfits." Rise pointed to the table as she went behind the screen herself. A textured black spaghetti strap dress with a red belt that flowed to her mid-calf with a pair of two-inch red heels. She pinned one side of her hair up with a black clip, stepping out to find Odessa brushing Juvia's hair. Using her magic she was adding a bit of steam to make them look glossy and sleek, something Juvia admitted to not having before. She always had curls in her hair of some kind before.

"Well, you're in a new place with a new adventure waiting for you and who knows what else will pop up into your life," Odessa wiggled her eyebrows making Juvia giggle behind her hands. "Heartbreak isn't easy but there are ways to ease back into life, to be ready to accept love again."

"How did Odessa know?"

"You can't hide that look from someone who has also experienced it. He might not have been the one you thought you'd be with but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to find that someone. He might be stuck in a tree or lost in a desert, but you'll find him eventually. Who knows, maybe meeting him is imminent or a year away. You're an amazing person Juvia, your true friends know this, and the little bit of interaction we've had proves that."

"Odessa is too kind," Juvia blushes as she looks away.

"Give yourself to heal but stay open-minded."

"Juvia will try."

"Alright girls! Let's go check on the other three and then we can head to the dining hall together." Odessa pulled her hair into a messy bun that sat low on her neck before throwing on gold gladiator sandals, tossing Juvia a pair of white wedges. They two younger women walked out arm-in-arm while Risa trailed behind them.

Cana, Evergreen, and Lucy were just walking out of their rooms when the trio ran into them. They complemented one another on their outfits, speaking briefly about how the rest of their afternoons had been. Sadly, they were unable to head to the ocean pools as most of then decided that a nap was a far better idea. The double doors were opened for them, finding the men already waiting for them. It was a simple yet elegant spread for the Dabars family members present as well as the mages from Fairy Tail.

Wine flowed throughout the night, made from the city's main meadery. Raspberry Rapture, Blueberry Bliss, and Pineapple Pucker were the three flavors of the night. There had been an array of meat, cheese, and crackers while everyone visited with one another, a roasted butternut squash soup topped with a swirl of sour cream was served next as everyone began to take their seats. The main dish was halibut served on a bed of peach and pepper salsa while the dessert table consisted of varying types of cannolis.

Juvia smiled as her old and new friends became a bit tipsy. Seemed no-one wanted to get drunk on their first night here which she was thankful for. Not that she didn't love her guild and the shenanigans that frequently happened but it was nice to have an eloquent meal with no fighting and no one passing out before nine pm. She hadn't laughed this hard in a long time, tears had streamed down her face more than once this evening.

By the time everyone quieted down, it was already after eleven. They had all had an eventful day so it made sense they headed to bed to rest up for whatever plans were being made tomorrow. Except Juvia wasn't tired now, she was full of energy that had nowhere to go. Juvia looked at Odessa who nodded towards a side entrance as they were making their way back to their rooms.

"You want to head out to the ocean with me? The full moon is coming and I always feel a bit of a power boost with the ebb and flow of the changes. Surely you've felt it!"

"Juvia is unsure as to what Odessa it referring to."

"How you never been close to a large body of water while a full moon it up?" Juvia shook her head now causing Odessa to squeal. "Oh, now you have to come with me to the water's edge. You need to feel this for yourself." Juvia followed Odessa as she traversed the halls with ease.

"Where do you two think you're going?" They halted as Laxus and Bickslow rounded one of the last corners before they were free.

"Odessa is taking Juvia to the ocean to teach her about the water and the moon." Laxus and Bickslow raised opposite eyebrows at the two women.

"Why don't you just join us and see what I mean." Odessa was positively bouncing as she waited for them to answer.

"Someone sure is eager. Lead the way little bunny." Bicklsow laughed when Odessa punched him in the arm, mumbling something about not being a damn rabbit. It didn't take long before they were tossing their shoes to the side in favor of the warm white sand compared to the cool stone. Odessa grasped Juvia's hand, pulling her into the cool ocean waters until they were about knee-deep.

"As I'm sure you're aware the moon and sun are primarily responsible for the rising and falling of ocean tides. The moon tries to pull at anything on Ishgar to bring it closer but is able to hold onto everything except the water. Since the water is always moving, Ishgar cannot hold onto it, and the moon is able to pull at it. Each day, there are two high tides and two low tides. The ocean is constantly moving from high tide to low tide, and then back to high tide. When a full moon is out it causes high tide and a stronger pull happens. Following?" She had three nods from the Fairy Tail mages.

"Essentially, the full moon is like a power boost. Similar to Laxus feeding off of lightning to power up as a dragon slayer, you can get an extra boost of magic when it's high tide. I think?"

"Yes! That's a great way to put it! You and I might not be able to eat the water or water magic of another mage we can essentially absorb the additional magic in the air and Chanel in ways we couldn't normally."

"So Juvia should be getting a magic surge?" The bluenette looked at Odessa who was smiling.

"What attack are you going to try? Something you can keep at the surface that won't do too much damage in the open?" Laxus asked his water mage, who blinked at him several times. "You might as well try to see if there really is a difference. Could come in handy if there's tangible truth to it."

"Are you saying my logic is flawed?" Odessa spun around fast, hands on hips as she pierced Laxus with a glare. "Are you doubting me as a mage? In my ability to know the limits of our magic?"

"Claws in bunny," Bickslow smiled at the woman who was giving Laxus a run for his money. "What the boss man means is that it might work for you since you've been around the ocean your entire life but might not come as easily to Juvia."

"So now you're insulting Juvia's ability to master this technique?" She crossed her arms over her chest, eyes rolling at the seith mage.

"Damn boss. This must be the Lucy of their family!" Laxus snorted, turning his head to try to hide the smirk that was threatening to form on his lips.

"Stupid boys," Odessa grumbled to herself. "Why don't you give it a whirl and see what comes from it?" Juvia nodded her head. Odessa made her way back to the shore to give the woman some space. Juvia closed her eyes, feeling the magic bubble beneath the surface of her skin.

"Water Nebula!" Juvia created five columns of water, which rotated around each other to form an intricate helix that would have pushed her opponent with massive force, causing insurmountable amounts of damage. "Did you . . . did you see what Juvia did?"

"I don't really know the difference," Odessa laughed as she looked behind her at the two men who were shrugging their shoulders.

"Juvia has never been able to manage more than two columns of water. Two! Now Juvia was able to create five of them and it's not even the full moon yet!" She started laughing and jumping around in the water, excited beyond belief.

"Full moon is still a few days away maybe we should head back out here to see what else you can do?" Odessa offered to the woman. Juvia grabbed both of Odessa's hands in her own as her blue glowing eyes found hers.

"Juvia would appreciate at that very much!"

"Then it's settled. We'll come out here with the others and you can show them the difference." The girls walked out of the water together to grab their shoes, walking ahead of the boys. Laxus elbowed Bickslow in the ribs, hard.

"What the hell was that for?" Bickslow hissed at the lightning mage.

"You stare at her ass anymore and she'll call you out on it. We're not here to get laid."

"That's rich coming from you. We both get propositioned for sex frequently so I know that's not the issue. What's really pissing you off? You've been on her case since she picked us up this morning."

"She smells odd and I don't like it," Laxus grumbled, saying goodnight as they left the two women to head the opposite direction to where their rooms were.

"Is that why you pulled Freed aside, so you could get him to look stuff up about her?" Laxus sighed, there really wasn't much Bickslow missed when it came to his team. He was quite observant but chose to speak up when it something of importance.

"Yeah. Someone is hiding something and I'm going to figure out why."

"Think it has something to do with the assassination or the capture of the future Crown Prince?"

"Not sure, but I want to make sure we're not walking into a trap or into a palace mole debacle." When Laxus put it that way Bickslow really couldn't complain. He was trying to ensure the safety of his guild and Bellum after all.

"Fair enough. Just keep me in the loop and let me know if you need my expertise."

"Hasn't come to that yet but I will definitely let you know. Let's hit the hay. I'm fucking exhausted and the good stuff hasn't even happened yet."

"Think they'll let us spar in the morning sometime? Getting antsy after no workouts for a few days."

"We'll talk to Freed in the morning and see what the fuck is going on. I wouldn't mind a good workout as well." The two men headed into their own rooms for the night, each wondering about the Bellum water mage for different reasons.


	5. Chapter 5: Calming Crystals

Weekly update here we are! To those who are following and commenting, I just want to thank you! This helps me figure out what you all think and how I'm doing when creating new characters for my story. For those who read the updates when they happen, thank you!

If you head over to Instagram - BrittleWrites06 - you can see the visuals posted by me from a friend for Risa, Omar, and the new lady Roselle! I have no idea if there is a way to post pictures here in FF but if you have the time take peak at them and show some love!

Thanks for the support and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

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Long caramel brown hair flowed down her shoulders as she ran a brush through her unruly locks. The humidity was not helping her to tame her wavy locks, much to her dismay. She usually always wore her hair down now, especially since she tried to take out her guild years ago. Looking back her hair had been so short that when it was in a ponytail it was ridiculously spikey. Not a look she was ever planning on returning too!

Evergreen set the brush down, settling on the fact that she was going to have to put her hair up. She just couldn't handle the untamed tresses or the slick heat on the back of her neck from her hair sitting there. She held her hair in her hand, trying to decide where she wanted her hair to sit so she could get it in place. Grabbing a brown elastic so opted for a high ponytail, it accentuated her cheekbones and kept the bulk of her hair off her neck.

She grabbed a green bikini to put on underneath her amethyst colored halter dress that flowed because Odessa had been right, it was too hot to wear tight clothing and to have sweat marks showing. Evergreen slipped on simple white flip flops before she headed down the hall. She wasn't a breakfast kind of person, couldn't understand a person's reasoning to eat the minute they woke up. The fairy mage needed a solid hour of wake-up time before she could even begin to think about eating.

A yawn escaped her as she was leisurely walking, sleep had evaded her last night. Honestly, sleep hadn't been coming to her all that well since she and Elfman had parted ways. It wasn't that they didn't love one another, but after everything they had been through they had realized that they weren't in love with each other anymore. Dates had become a thing of the past, they stopped hanging out at the guildhall, and the sex was non-existent anymore. Not that sex made a relationship but it helped to keep them bonded, to know that there was still a physical connection. There wasn't even a spark anymore though, so they had decided to part ways.

Evergreen had tried every type of meditation she could think of, had tried exercising more, excluding certain food groups, masturbating, you name it and she probably tried it. She just couldn't get her brain to shut off and when you go from getting an easy eight hours of sleep every night to less than four it isn't ideal. Laxus had let everyone know the guys were heading to the gym in the morning but that wasn't her scene. She preferred running outside, or on a treadmill, and doing simple weight exercises to keep fit. The Thunder Legion often participated in sparring matches amongst themselves and when Lucy had come for a couple of Evergreen was more than happy to have some more femininity around.

They had gotten close the last several months, not as close as Lucy was with Juvia, levy, or Cana, but there was an undeniable bond. A friendship Evergreen hadn't experienced with another woman in a long time. She hung out with "the boys" which automatically labeled her as untouchable and for a while she was okay with that. Once they had all pulled their heads out of their asses though it was different. She honestly didn't realize she was missing anything until she watched Lucy's whip wrap around Bickslow's ankle, tossing him into a large tree with a noticeable thunk. They became friends after the continuous joking over the seith mage's ability to get into trouble.

But Lucy had changed after Tartaros. There was something darker, hidden beyond the depths of her brown eyes that haunted her. Laxus had already laid the law down about bringing it up before she was ready but Evergreen really really wanted to poke the proverbial bear. If it had been anyone else she definitely would have but she didn't want to betray her team's trust or Lucy's. Instead, she offered small smiles and reassuring squeezes whenever the blonde was on the verge of tears.

"Evergreen! Hey!" She looked up to see Odessa skipping towards her. "Where are you off to this morning?"

"Trying to find something to do to help me sleep at night." There was no use denying it or hiding it because Odessa had this uncanny ability to pull it from you with her calm demeanor and patient smiles.

"Well," Odessa looked at her watch, "There's a yoga session happening in about fifteen minutes if you want to give that a whirl."

"Yoga?" Evergreen's eyes widened realizing that was one avenue she hadn't considered before, mainly because she thought it was so similar to meditation.

"Yeah. The quiet of the room, while you focus on breathing and stretching, can do wonders. It's worth a shot, right?"

"Definitely!" Odessa linked arms with Evergreen as they made their way to an open space in another part of the castle. This place was so large, she often wondered how Odessa could remember all the twists and turns even if she had lived here her entire life. "How do you remember where everything is at? This place is huge!"

"Just a feeling I guess. I've always been good at navigating through . . . anything. Uncle Omar says it's because water flows everywhere and I'm just that in tune with where it is at any given time due to my magic."

"Whatever it is I'm glad you have that sense of direction because I feel like we'd be doomed in this place otherwise." The girls giggled as they made their way down a covered corridor to a sunny place outside. Pink, blue, and white flowers covered luscious green grass with a shaded spot from the tall trees. You could smell the ocean that was carried on the breeze, swirling around the area.

"Odessa?" A woman setting up her mat and blocks at the front of the room called out.

"Hey, sista!" Odessa ran over to the woman, wrapping her in a hug which was readily returned. "I didn't think you were getting in until later tonight."

"I got an earlier flight. I wanted to spend some extra time with everyone before we all embark on our journeys. Who is that behind you?"

"Sorry! I totally spaced. Evergreen, I would like you to meet my sister, Roselle. Sis, this is Evergreen of Fairy Tail, one of the mages from Fiore to help us out."

"It's lovely to meet you Evergreen. Why has Odessa dragged you to my class this fine morning?"

"Having some issues sleeping," Evergreen admitted, cheeks turning a little bit red. Roselle was beautiful, utterly breathtaking. She had rose-colored hair that was in a long thick braid down her back, a white tube top that just covered her ample bosom, and a baby blue maxi skirt with rich purple lily's adorning it. Roselle had a calming presence about her, it just seemed to flow through Evergreen the longer she was around. "That's a pretty bracelet. Where did you buy it?"

"Actually," Roselle touched her right wrist, "I made this one. I'm a crystal mage so as long as I have a crystal on my person, or within my vicinity, I can channel different types of properties. For example, amethyst is known for its stunning violet color in a variety of shades and are often used as jewelry because when placed against the skin, it works as a natural stress reliever. It also magnifies positive vibes while cleansing the body of negative energy, including toxic emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear, and more. Because this amethyst bead is touching my skin I am able to push out its energy to others to help with what they may be feeling."

"That's really impressive. I've never heard of a magic such as it before."

"It's quite rare from what we have researched while I was growing up. How about we discuss this after the class?"

"I would like that." Roselle handed Evergreen a green mat and blocks so she could find a space amongst the others. Odessa had bid them farewell, telling them to stop by the gym when they were finished. Evergreen set herself up, watching what others were doing so she didn't look weird. She sat cross-legged like what several other people were doing, waiting for Roselle to begin.

"Good morning everyone and welcome to a new day. Yoga is the journey of the self, to the self, through the self. Today is all about you, finding inner peace, soothing a fire, or reflecting on the past. Many of you practice sedimentary meditation but with yoga, we'll incorporate it all. Yoga postures are a great way to prepare the body for meditation and will not only rejuvenate the body but also the brain. Yoga postures were designed to systematically prepare the body to meditate, though the link to meditation is rarely mentioned."

Evergreen listened to her soothing voice as she began to sway with the wind in her spot, a serene smile on her face. She watched as Roselle slipped off her sandals, finding she anklets with more crystals there as well. Evergreen was intrigued, she had yet to meet someone like Roselle. Fairy Tail was full of rowdy individuals, at all times it seemed, and while she figured Odessa would fit right into the guild Roselle would be a welcomed change. She doubted that even Roselle could quell Natsu or Gray but she'd love to see what would happen if those two rambunctious men were around her for even an hour. Maybe she could make Laxus chill.

Oh, OH! Mira would be proud of what her scheming mind was coming up with. She knew that Laxus had a mate out there in the world, somewhere, but he was always a huge playboy. Emphasis on WAS. Bickslow and her had been talking in private one night at the guild when her friend commented on how long it had been since their fearsome leader had gotten laid. Sex had been their go-to for tension relief but lately, neither one of them had been into that. Laxus had claimed that his dragon had grown tired of meaningless conquests while Bickslow shrugged his shoulders and didn't explain further. Hopefully, Roselle could get those two idiots to rest. Hell, she might as well add Freed into that loop too, Mavis knows he was wound like a top on the best of days. She'd been in her presence for less than fifteen minutes and already felt a thousand times better than she had in months.

"We're now going to start with Savasana to rejuvenate the body and relax the mind. Do your best to be still, as the deeper you relax, the more benefits you receive from the pose." Roselle's voice seemed to ease all the aches and pains like they were just melting away the longer she spoke. "Lie down on your back. Bring your feet as wide as your mat and let them flop open. Relax your arms a few inches away from your body, palms facing the sky. Tuck your chin ½" toward your chest to lengthen the back of your neck. Close your eyes. Make any final adjustments so that you are completely comfortable. Breathe naturally."

"Relax your whole body. Allow your whole body to sink into the floor. Your whole body is relaxed. Relax your whole right foot. Relax your whole right leg, from your toes to your hip. Relax your whole right hand. Relax your whole right arm, from your fingers to your shoulder. Relax your whole left foot. Relax your whole left leg, from your toes to your hip. Relax your whole left hand. Relax your whole left arm, from your fingers to your shoulder. Relax your belly. Relax your chest. Relax your shoulders. Relax your face. Relax your whole physical body. Relax your mental body. Relax your emotional body."

The rest of the yoga class went by quite well, by the end of it Evergreen's body felt like Jell-O. Loose, jiggly, and at ease. After several months she finally felt like she could just be herself like she would be able to just shut her mind off and sleep forever. She was also incredibly hungry now that it was mid-morning.

"That was utterly amazing. I feel as though all my stresses just evaporated! Want to join me for breakfast before we go watch the boys pummel each other in a testosterone induced gym?" Roselle laughed, putting the remainder of the mats and blocks away in the storage unit.

"I could use a good laugh. Let's head to the kitchen to grab something quick, the head chef adores me." They amicably talked as they made their way to the kitchen.

"My dear Roselle!" I short round, man waddled up to her, grasping her hand in his to kiss the top of it. "You haven't been to see me in ages!"

"Mr. Batali, it's only been a couple of weeks. Honestly," she playfully rolled her eyes.

"You shouldn't have been able to grow up, any of you kids. The house is so empty now that you're out living your own lives."

"Well, we'll all be here for a couple of days so you can spoil us rotten. Plus, we have guests from Fairy Tail here, such as Evergreen." Evergreen waved at the cute old man. "We're hoping for something light to eat that'll last us until lunch."

"I have the perfect idea for you two!" He busied himself in the kitchen as the two women sat down at the small table that was set up in the large kitchen. Within a few minutes, Mr. Batali was coming to them with two plates. "Twelve-grain bread with fresh guacamole and an over-medium egg. Enjoy!" He left them to their own devices so that he could clean up after himself. Roselle and Evergreen enjoyed their breakfast in comfortable silence. The girls kissed the older man on the cheek, in thanks for breakfast before they left with promises to return before their departure with the whole crew of young adults.

"Who do you think will be sparring when we arrive?" Evergreen asked the pinkette as they walked to the extremely large training grounds the castle had for its soldiers and visitors.

"Odessa will be in the thick of it, she always is. Her and our cousin, Ryker, were always in the sparring ring. Odessa has this very care-free nature about her but she is ridiculously fierce when she needs to be. Ryker, on the other hand, is just incredibly talented when it comes to anything athletic."

"How many kids are there in each family?"

"In my family, there's Silas, myself, then Odessa and Uncle and Auntie have two kids, Ryker and Zaltana."

"What are the other three like?"

"Silas tends to keep to himself and isn't home all that frequently due to his position in the police force. Zaltana is kept incredibly busy as well, traveling throughout Bellum to help with exotic animals. Ryker is for lack of a better term, the shit disturber. It's mostly a front because, in my opinion, he is emotionally constipated." Evergreen snorted.

"Has he met the majority of my guild? Pretty sure that just comes standard in the bad boy playbook." The two of them laughed as they entered the terrace where they would be watching with a bird's eye view of whoever was sparring.

"Well, shit!" Evergreen took her glasses off to clean them before putting them back on. "I haven't seen Laxus and Bickslow spar this hard for fun . . . in ever! Usually, the two of them will go at it because no-one in the guild can make it past fifteen minutes."

"Doesn't your guild have four dragon slayers in it? How can they not perform in the battle."

"Five, but I'm sure you're familiar with the four main slayers in our guild?" Roselle nodded her head yes. "Natsu can't take sparring seriously. He very much has an all or nothing kind of personality, which is why he always manages to kick the evilest of bad guy's asses. He doesn't know how to give up but he doesn't see sparring at the guild as training. Gajeel has always been more of a lone wolf so he tends to take off for weeks at a time to do whatever it is he does for training. Wendy has been working with Laxus and Bickslow when she isn't working to expand her healing capabilities. Laxus is Laxus."

"And the fifth slayer?"

"Cobra. He's the ex-con turn fairy so I'm sure you heard about him in the news at some point in time. Cobra is working with a secretive elite team, under Makarov's watchful eye, to ensure all the demons that were released during the Tartaros incident are contained."

"Just the demons of Zeref in Fiore then?"

"Huh?" Evergreen blinked several times.

"Surely you didn't think that the unleashing of Tartaros would only draw demons that were housed inside?"

"I never thought about it, in all honesty. The guild just assumed the ones we fought were it and since we were never told otherwise it's all we know."

"Seems as though Makarov has been keeping that secret to himself. When Tartaros appeared in Fiore it was like a beacon was sent out, attracting others in nature to surge forward. It's the main reason why Ryker and Silas aren't home much these days. They're leading the fight to contain the ones that popped up, or ran too, Bellum."

"I feel awful," Evergreen's shoulders slumped.

"To be fair, Fairy Tail probably faced the worst of the worst demons. Uncle Omar reviews the updates they boys send them and so far it hasn't been nearly as bad as what you all encountered."

"Is it wise to pull them from the frontline to help with this incident?"

"The Bellum Royal Guard is well equipment with leaders and they're all aware of how important this issue is to our countries."

"FUCKING HELL ODESSA!" Laxus' yelling called the women's attention back to the spar below them. They saw the lightning dragon slayer trapped in a watery orb, the electric current running over his body shocked the water which in turn was constantly zapping him.

"He's pissed now," Evergreen smirked, she always did like watching Laxus get his ass handed to him. It helped keep in check his extremely large ego. "Wonder why she hasn't done that to Bix and his babies yet?"

"She can only entrap living beings and souls aren't of this world."

"Which makes Bickslow a bigger threat now, how interesting." It wasn't very often that she and Bickslow were the ones who were threats to the enemy, that was ninety percent Laxus and ten percent Freed. The brawn and the brains. "Think Laxus will get out?"

"Doubtful. Odessa has been using her Orb Lock since she was nine. It's her go-to move that she has perfected well over the years and it comes in super handy." Odessa moved the orb to be directly in front of her as the babies were about to unleash their green beams, effectively stopping them.

"Take her the hell out already Bix!"

"How? In case you haven't noticed she's using you as a human shield. We already know her water orbs can displace the beams and shoot them around her." That had been a first for the two of them. Odessa had placed several small orbs in front of her and when one of the totem's attacks hit the water it ended up shooting out the side, cracking the protective barrier around the gym. He needed to be sneaky if he was going to catch her off guard. "Babies, plan BSP!"

The babies began to fly around the room super fast, blasting quick beams at random intervals. Odessa was trying to keep up with all of them, eyes following the best that they could but she missed the key object. Bickslow had snuck up behind her, kicking her feet out from underneath the water mage effectively dropping her hold on Laxus. The three stood there panting, this hadn't been an easy spar but it had been all sorts of fun. "Draw?"

"Fucking agreed!" Bicklsow flopped onto his back, taking in deep breaths of ocean air as the barrier began to fade away.

"Fine. Draw," Laxus sat on the ground, chest heaving with a small smile on his face. That had been the best spar he'd had in ages and he knew he was going to be feeling the effects in the morning.

"The bit we saw was pretty crazy," Evergreen said as she walked onto the mat with Roselle. "How long have you been sparring for?"

"What time is it?" Odessa asked from her spot on the floor.

"Just after eleven."

"Two and a half hours, not too shabby." Odessa smiled at the other two women. "Where are my manners. Bickslow, Laxus, this is my big sister, Roselle. Roselle, the seith mage and lightning dragon slayer from Fairy Tail."

"It's very nice to meet the two of you." Evergreen watched as Roselle's pleasant smile seemed to make the two large men melt.

"Hey sis, care to help a girl out?" Roselle laughed as she brought her hands to rest just above Odessa's chest, a soft pink light emanating from them. A few minutes later Odessa jumped up and stretched her body before doing a quick cartwheel.

"Whatever that is, can I get some too please?" Bickslow asked, still laying on his back, not moving any limbs. She giggled before going to place her hands over his chest, the same light encased her hands.

"What's your magic?" Laxus asked from behind her.

"Crystal mage. I can use the properties of any crystal touching my skin and in this case, I am using rose quartz to ease the achiness in your body. You'll still need to stretch out but the tightness in your muscles won't haunt you in the morning."

"That's pretty impressive, which would explain the bracelet and anklets."

"Would you care for treatment as well?"

"Fuck, I'd be dumb to turn that down." She giggled as she walked over to the large man, hands hovering above his broad chest. Laxus took a deep breath as he felt the aches starting to dissipate, taking a deep inhale he caught her scent. She smelled like vanilla and cherry blossoms, something he was finding he quite liked.

"There you all are," Freed strolled into the room as several heads turned his way. "We have a new development so I was sent to gather all of you. Food and drinks will be brought to the room so if you will follow me." The no-nonsense tone in his voice had the five mages following, no questions asked. Freed opened the door to find the regular patrons of the castle around plus one more.

"Dad?"


	6. Chapter 6: Missing You

Cana stood in the entryway of the meeting room where they were all gathered, utterly surprised to see Gildarts standing there. He was laughing with Risa, giving her a hug like they knew one another. Which could be very plausible since he tended to do a hell of a lot of travelling.

"Dad?"

"There's my girl! Wasn't expecting to see you here in Bellum but here we are."

"Yeah, that's great and all but what are you doing to her? You know she's married, right?" Trust Cana to be blunt as ever when addressing her father.

"Cana, I can be friends with a woman and not fuck her. Besides, being with Risa that way would be insest and there are some lines you don't cross." Cana stood there, open mouthed unable to react what-so-ever to that phrase.

"I'm all for family reunions but perhaps we could discuss the topic at hand?" Omar questioned, gesturing to the table where the others were already sitting. Lucy pulled on Cana's hand to get her moving towards the table, urging her to take a seat. Everyone else followed suit.

"As you are all aware we need to get someone out to Desierto to help govern and we need to find where the Crown Prince has been taken. On top of that we have received an SOS from a remote location within the desert country itself that we need to explore. On top of that we need to keep resources here as we will be the next point of attack in order to gain control over the floundering monarchy in Desierto," Omar explained to the group of mages and council members.

"After quite the deliberation between myself and Omar," Makarov spoke to the crowded table, "We have come up with how we are going to divide everyone up. This is based on magic abilities, individual awareness, and team compatibility. We are still waiting for three of the Dabars family members to show up within the next twenty-four hours, so once they are here we will reconvene to hand out your missions to find the Crown Prince and respond to the SOS."

"Risa, will be heading out before noon to Desierto along with Gildarts, Freed, and a small handful of the Royal Mages Elite Squadron," Omar smiled at his wife, grasping her hand within his own. "Once my son and nephew have returned and had a chance to rest we will get the other two parties organized. Any questions?" Omar was met with silence as he and Risa were the first to leave the room, followed shortly by the council members leaving the Fairy Tail mages and two Dabars women in the room.

"What the absolute hell Dad?" Cana rounded on the crush mage, purple eyes blazing as they honed in on him. "You're going to make a jab about incest and just casually ignore it?"

"Risa is family. Her and Cornelia are cousins on your mother's side of the family." Cana rubbed her temples in circular motions as the two other women looked back and forth between the two Fairy Tail members.

"Were you ever planning on telling me that I had family out in the world?"

"You know now."

"Un-fucking-believable! You, you . . . just ahhhh!" Cana stormed out of the room leaving behind a flabbergasted room of mages.

"Gildarts?" Lucy calmly called out to the older mage, "You should probably go after her and explain a little better than . . . whatever this was."

"Yeah," Gildarts rubbed the back of his head before exiting the same way Cana left.

"Not quite the reunion I was hoping for but damn! You learn something new every day." Every head swiveled to where a tall man leaned up against a doorframe. "What the hell else have I missed?"

"Oh you know, Odessa took our guests out for a ride on her beasts, followed by a moonlight swim, a sparring match with some tough men, and us finding out we have more family," Roselle smirked at the charcoal-haired man.

"So the usual then?" he laughed at the pinkette before he opened his arms, bracing his legs right before Odessa launched herself into him. "Hey sis, long time no see. I hear you've been picking on the boys again."

"I would never ever do such a thing, Ryker." Odessa smiled up at him, as Roselle joined the group hug. "Fairy Tail, this is our brother Ryker. A storm mage who has been out defending our great country from the demons that had risen up from the Tartaros. Ryker, this is Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, Lucy, Juvia, and Cana was the one who left that is apparently our second cousin?"

"Small world," he smirked as he took in the other six mages before him. "Is it lunchtime yet? I'm starved."

"Always thinking with your stomach," Roselle shook her head but the smile never left her lips. "Lunch will be ready in a half hour so I'm sure your bottomless pit can wait."

"Seriously? I'll wither away if I don't eat right now," Ryker whined, being overly dramatic.

"How about you go shower. You smell something awful," Odessa pulled away, pinching her nose."

"Awfully awesome!" He smirked as the girls rolled their eyes. "I get it, I get it. See you for lunch then."

"Older brother?" Bickslow laughed, knowing that the two of them could get into some trouble.

"Yes. Ryker, myself, and Odessa. Ryker and I are two years apart while Ryker and Odessa are five years apart. Silas is a year older than Ryker and Zaltana is a year younger than me, which puts our cousins four years apart," Odessa explained as she ushered everyone to the garden that was just outside, so the staff could prepare lunch.

"So there's a storm mage, crystal mage, and water mage amongst the three of you. What are Silas and and Zaltana?" Lucy inquired as they all sat in the lush grass.

"Zaltana is a wild mage. She had the ability to communicate with any wild animal or beast. It takes her a while to learn a new creature's native language but she's encountered so many over the years that after a short time she can pick it up. Domestic animals are fairly easy to understand, since they pick up their human's language like it's second nature," Roselle stated, leaning up against a large tree. "Zaltana works for the Bellum National Nature Conservatory, so we usually only see her every couple months as they keep her quite busy."

"Yeah, she has how many certifications now?"

"Well, she has her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor's Degree in Zoology, and Ornithologist Degree. Plus she has written several books on different beast species and had a beast sanctuary an hour outside of the capital."

"That's ridiculous!" Bickslow stood there jaw gaping. "She's like twenty-five and has three different types of schooling?"

"Well, to be fair she started her schooling when she was thirteen," Odessa chuckled as she shared a knowing look with her sister. "She's always been very . . . disciplined."

"Who's being disciplined?" Ryker walked in, freshly showered and changed into some loungewear.

"Just talking about Zaltana," Roselle offered.

"Are we talking about how utterly nerdy she is and doesn't realize it? Or are we talking about how she could probably take down half the guard in fifteen minutes?"

"Half the guard? Surely you jest?" Freed inquired, eyes wide and unbelieving.

"Hell no," Ryker said, resting an arm on his knee. "Zaltana is indeed disciplined. She had always been insanely smart, finished all three degrees by the time she was twenty-one, but don't let her booksmarts fool you. She deals with beasts for a living, most of which are larger than her so she knows how to fight and defend herself. Sometimes there is no reasoning with a beast and taking them down is the best course of action."

"Ooh! How do you think she'd do against Laxus?" Ryker eyed the dragon slayer up, gauging his magic and strength.

"Less than three minutes if she was trying, five if she wanted to play." Odessa fell back into the grass, giggling uncontrollably at the outraged look on the blonde's face.

"I'd like to see her fucking try," Laxus grumbled under his breath, earning peels of laughter from the group.

"You mentioned your other cousin, Silas? What does he do?"

"Silas is a ghost mage. A rare form of magic, similar to seith magic yet not," Ryker had a solemn look about him, much more serious. "Silas can communicate with the dead so long as their ghostly essence is in the area. He can pull the last moments of memory from a person but doing so puts him in a precarious position."

"How so?" Evergreen inquired.

"In order to slip into a dead person's memory Silas has to astral projection himself into their world which leaves his physical body extremely vulnerable to attack," Roselle fiddled with her fingers as she spoke. "Not to mention all the dark creatures that roam the land of the dead. It's one of the reasons that Ryker and Silas are often on jobs together, so he can have someone who trusts him to look out for him."

"I am going to assume that there was an incident in his past?" Bickslow offered, knowing full well about the dangers of the non-living.

"Yes." That was all Ryker said and everyone respected that.

"Sooo, what'd I miss? Why does it look like someone punched a unicorn?" Cana asked, looking around the group of sad mages.

"I'll fill you in later," Lucy smiled at the brunette. "How'd the chat go with Gildarts?"

"The old man is a piece of work," Cana grumbled as she sat down between Lucy and Juvia. "Thankfully Risa came in to explain things before they left, because we all know how Gildarts is about such things. Utterly useless."

"So what did she tell you?" Lucy nudged her shoulder, wanting the details.

"Apparently, my mom and Risa are cousins because our grandmothers were sisters. Mom was kidnapped by slavers when she was twelve which is how she ended up in Fiore because she managed to escape and fled there. Her and Risa had been out collecting items from the garden when the slavers happened upon them. Mom managed to create a force field around Risa, saving her but not herself. Unfortunately, Risa doesn't know more until Mom contacted her when she was pregnant with me. They never discussed what had transpired in those ten years she was away from Bellum but Aunt Risa helped her with me until mom passed when I was six. I had always just assumed we were getting money from the old man, not your family."

"So second cousins then?" Odessa looked at the brunette. "Or are you just second cousins to Silas and Zaltana?"

"We're related too, I just stopped paying attention since my brain was overloaded already."

"I think that's enough of the heavy talk today. How about we eat? I can smell all the goodness coming from inside and it's making my mouth water."

"What's wrong Ryker? Tired of stale bread and freeze dried food?" Odessa quipped at her older brother.

"Hells yes. I have been dreaming of a home cooked meal for weeks. WEEKS!"

"How about we all head in then?" Roselle prompted as everyone began to move inside, smiling when Laxus offered a hand to help her up. She graciously took his offered hand, easily pulling her up but losing her footing as her one leg seemed to have gone numb. She crashed into the Laxus' large chest, his arms wrapped around her small frame to steady her. She whispered a thank you before heading inside, Laxus' eyes on her the entire time. Grey eyes met brilliant blue eyes, as lightning clashed with the storm.

"Dragon," Ryker called to the man and beast in front of him. "You so much touch my sister without her consent and I will end you."

"Rkyer!" Roselle looked positively mortified as her face turned a bright pink. Laxus looked stunned, not because of Ryker protecting his sister but because he addressed him as Dragon. He had no idea why that stirred something deep within him or why his dragon had perked up, yet stayed quiet. He'd have to look into this at another time, for now he just nodded his head stating he understood. The look the storm mage was giving him told him he didn't believe him, not for one second.

Lunch was a busy affair, conversations and food flowed endlessly. There was a lot of laughter to be had, something that Lucy hadn't seen on her friend's faces in a very long time. Laxus kept sneaking looks at Roselle while Bickslow was trying, and failing, to stop staring at Odessa. It was rather cute. Freed and Ryker were in a deep conversation about living out in the wild, comparing notes, and discussing magics they had come across in their lines of work. Evergreen, Juvia, and Cana were talking about getting some shopping in this afternoon, maybe taking a look around the city before they departed.

Lucy had other plans though. She just wanted to sit back and relax, something she felt like she hadn't been able to do in a long while. Everything about Magnolia reminded her of Aquarius, past adventures with friends, talking with her in the bath, and other random moments they had shared. Now she was in a place where those memories didn't hit her in the face every moment of every day. Bellum had put most of her worries at ease, which felt amazing to not stress over life and just live it for a while.

She was aware that Laxus was right, that she needed to talk to someone about the events of Tartaros but she just wasn't ready. Lucy wasn't sure why she wasn't but the time just never seemed . . . she didn't really even know. She'd lost her last connection with her mother, something that killed her inside. Her mother, father, and now Aquarius - how many other people would she lose over the course of her life?

"Lucy, would you like to come shopping with us?" Evergreen asked, cleaning her glasses on Freed's jacket who seemed quite perturbed by that but said nothing.

"Actually, I've got a book I'd really like to finish plus I don't have a lot of spare funds at the moment," she sheepishly stated, her cheeks getting warm with embarrassment.

"I was quite certain that Team Natsu finished a job before you came here?" Freed stated as the entire table went quiet.

"Freed," Evergreen hissed angrily at the rune mage. "For someone so smart you sure are damn dumb sometimes." Lucy just smiled politely at Freed as Markarov cleared his throat.

"I just wanted to say that I am all grateful to you brats for coming to help. It makes me proud to call you my children. Due to the gravity of the situations you will be facing, which we discuss when all parties are here, I will be enlisting the help of others from the guild. Mrs. Dabars. Gildarts. Freed. You will be meeting up with Jellal and Erza upon entering the country of Desierto. I'd like to raise my cup to our first set of travelers heading off shortly. Stay safe."

"Here, here!" The rest of the table shouted as they raised their glasses. Lucy ducked out shortly after dessert had been served. She wandered around the palace until she found herself staring out into the vast waters before her. It was so big, so beautiful that silent tears began to fall down her face. Everything she had been suppressing was coming to the forefront, hiccupping she tried to push it all back down but that just elicited more tears.

They wouldn't stop falling.

She thought she had gotten over this part, the endless crying, the full body sobs. A new place with less memories, that was what she had banked on. It just made her miss Aquarius more, miss her parents and the life she could have had with them. Why did it have to hurt so much? She never thought love could be painful until she grew up, lost Aquarius. She could feel gates opening, knew her zodiac spirits were all making their way out to her. The warmth of the stars surrounding her as she basked in their loving presence.

"Lucy?" The blonde looked up with bleary eyes, wiping the excess tears from her eyelashes so she could see who was there.

"Mr. . . . Mr. Dabars?"

"Omar is fine, dear girl." He opened his arms and Lucy couldn't help herself. She flung herself into them, into this virtual strangers arms but she didn't care. She just needed someone to hold her, to reassure her that everything would be ok, to have the love of a parent again. The sobs shook her entire body as she clung to the front of his dress shirt, strong arms wrapping around her petite frame as he began to rock back and forth on the sandy beach.

"I'm sorry," she barely whispered once she had calmed down.

"Tears are nothing to apologize for. They show that we've been through, a way to let go of the past or look towards the future. Shedding tears while one is grieving is natural, gives way for a clearer mind."

"I . . . I haven't spoken with anyone about what happened in Tartaros. I don't know where to begin, what to say, and I don't want the guild to pity me. Deep down in my heart I know it was the right choice, losing Aquarius to save the entire guild. It just hurts to lose her, to lose my last connection to my parents." Lucy gripped his shirt tighter as it spilled from her, not the entirety of the story but enough that the pressure she'd placed on herself had lessened considerably.

"They're your friends, family, and they know you're hurting. It wasn't hard for Risa and I to see the lingering pain you tried to hide, having both been through something similar in our lives. I know it's not easy to talk about but sometimes we need to do so before it becomes out of our control." Omar continued rubbing small circles on Lucy's back as the last of her tears started to dry. It wasn't long before she was sleeping against him, tired from her ordeal and on her way to healing.

He gently lifted the small woman into his arms, carrying her back to her room. Laxus and Bickslow had come racing over once he entered the courtyard, but the shake of his head and small smile eased their concerns a bit. It had been so long since any of his children had faced such troubles. His family had been fairly fortunate over the years but most of Makarov's family was broken, in one way or another. Most of the mages that were here seemed to be doing quite well, but there were still some hauntings from their past. Omar was aware of those as he still fought with them on occasion as well.

He pulled back the lavender colored sheets, placed Lucy in the bed, and placed the covers over her. Omar had been shocked to see her spirits out when he walked to the beach, even more so that they were all waiting for her in her room. One thing her now was how strong her bond was with her celestial spirits, something she was going to need during the upcoming mission.


	7. Chapter 7: Divide and Conquer

The palace looked so much smaller than she was used too, or maybe her idea of the grandness of it all held less appeal than it once used too. The early rays of the sun were just starting to peek over the dark horizon as she quietly walked the halls. She had always been an early riser, taking in the moments of quiet before attending the hustle and bustle of whatever was on her plate for the day.

"Zaltana." She spun so fast that long white locks brushed against his face.

"Silas!" Zaltana put her fists down as she calmed herself. "Must you constantly startle me?"

"It's fun. Not very often we get to see you on edge."

"Everything has me on edge lately. The beasts are worried, changing their regular patterns to be as far away from the heart of Diestro and the waters of Enca. At first, I thought it was just the remnants of darkness from Tartaros, but this just feels different."

"There is an eeriness to the unknown, but looming darkness is threatening the peace of not just one area but multiple. I can feel it in my bones how restless the dead are."

"Well shit. That doesn't bode well for us. I am glad that we have help though, that father sought help from Fairy Tail. Hey, now. There's no need to roll your eyes. It was a smart decision since they have encountered more evil in this world than any other guild."

"It's presumptuous to think that they'll be prepared for the likes of this, Zalty. I'm not saying that the feats they have overcome aren't remarkable but this test them in more ways than possible. It'll test us."

"Ugh. I hate when your logic overpowers my own," she huffed as he smirked at her. "Think Odessa is still up?"

"Well, it was a full moon last night so she's probably passed out on the shore. Should we go grab her?"

"Just like when we were ten, covering her sorry ass when she tried to sneak out. Wonder how long mom and dad were aware of it before they started to just accompany us when they could."

"They knew the very first night she did so. It was hard to deny her surge in magic after the full moon, especially since she couldn't hide it to save her life." They both chuckled at that, knowing that some things would never change. "Think dad has told her about . . ."

"No. Absolutely not. We definitely would have heard about the blow-up by now."

"You think Odessa will be that angry?" Zaltana stopped, grabbed her brother's arm and stared into his eyes.

"Don't be daft, Silas, it doesn't suit you."

"It makes me uneasy, having her not aware of it all. However, dad did a good job in magically gagging up from talking about it until he does so first or she finds out on her own."

"That spell took a lot out of him and it's not like we could have said no. Remember how much mom fought dad on that. I don't think I have EVER seen them sleep in separate beds while they were under the same roof. That was a solid two weeks too."

"Definitely wasn't a highlight in their relationship or our lives. We'll just have to be on our guard while out on the mission is all."

"You think she'll find out during all this?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised she doesn't already know. It's a damn miracle but time is running out and I don't feel like luck is on our side for much longer in regards to this. I tried to convince dad."

"You spoke to dad already?"

"I was here just after midnight, wanted to wait for you until we faced the masses."

"How'd dad react to you contradicting his plans?"

"He was pissed. I don't agree with it, not in the slightest, but our backs are still up against a wall here. Father is a great man but even he can be crippled by fear." Zaltana hummed in response as the stood atop the small hill overlooking the ocean. She was slightly shocked to see close to a dozen bodies sleeping in the sand, instead of the usual one.

"Hey, guys." Ryker stood beside between the two of them, arms draped over their shoulders. "Quite the sight isn't it?"

"What the hell is that?" Zaltana pointed to where pink hair was resting on top of a broad chest.

"Hmmm?" Ryker followed his cousin's line of sight, smirking when his eyes landed on the scene she was referring too. "Oh, it seems the lightning dragon has a keen interest in our dearest Roselle. Laxus is damn dense about all of it though which makes it kind of entertaining."

"You evil little shit, you addressed his dragon at some point, didn't you?" Zaltana's sunflower yellow eyes narrowed as he shrugged his shoulders. "Awwwwe. I wanted to be the one to do that, spoilsport." Silas snorted at his sister's obvious mild anger.

"Please, that man is completely out of sorts with his dragon that it's comical. This particular second-gen knows barely anything that it makes me wonder if the first gen's in Fairy Tail are any wiser on the subject. They were very young when their dragons left them and I doubt those conversations were had."

"DIBS!" Zaltana cried as she jumped in the air in excitement. "All this knowledge I have recently gained, plus being able to apply it to the slayers, will make the last portion of my book indisputable!"

"Why must you encourage this?" Silas looked to his right where Ryker was smiling like a lunatic.

"Causing chaos lightens the soul. Laughter, happiness, smiling, it all causes good vibes and besides I know for a fact that these mages are going to find what's happening to Laxus quite humorous."

"If you say so. Speaking of humor, does he know what's going on with himself?" Silas nodded his head over to another mage who was blissfully passed out in the sand.

"Hell no! That one I wasn't touching with a ten-foot pole. Odessa and I have left that one ALLLL for you."

"How kind of you cousin dearest." Zaltana and Ryker cackled, leaning against one another as Silas rolled his eyes. "It surprises me how a guild full of such strong mages, with magic unlike anything we've ever seen, are so damn ignorant to their own selves."

"Rare magic always seems to find a way to hide itself. Books get burned, people die before passing on the knowledge, diehards won't share what limited information they know, so on and so forth. Bellum isn't any different, not really. We hoard all our information in one location and if you manage to make it through the Rite then you can know about it. Silas did it so I am sure the others could IF we needed to go down that path."

"She logicked the shit outta you cuz. Anyways, since you're both here we should get everyone up so that we can get to breakfast at a decent time. Uncle Omar will want to debrief us so that we can get going."

"Ooh! Can I wake them?"

"NO!" Two male voices called out at the same time. "We do NOT want to have an angry mob of mages to deal with this damn early, Zalty."

"Oh damn, pulling out the big guns with the nickname and puppy eyes. I'll rouse Roselle and she can get everyone to rise for the day in decent moods. Not everyone enjoys mornings like the three of us." Ryker created a storm cloud the size of his palm, blowing it gently so that it floated just above Roselle's face. The cloud turned a dark grey before a few raindrops fell, landing on the pinkette's face. She batted the cloud away, rubbing her eyes before she sat up, smiling when she saw who her brother was standing with. She stood up, a pale orange glow coming from her body as she pushed it out towards the others in the vicinity, quietly walking through the mages so they could wake up on their own accord but she was eager to see her cousins.

"Zaltana. Silas. I am very happy to see you two." She embraced each of them in a warm hug while another soft orange glow pulsed outside of her.

"Two pulses? Damn these mages must be heavy sleepers," Ryker whistled low as he looked over at the group.

"Heavy drinkers are more like it," Roselle laughed. "They like to party this crowd yet know when to be serious. It takes a minute to get used to."

"They didn't take advantage of you and Odessa, did they?" Silas inquired, eyebrow raising as he pressed the question.

"Don't be absurd, Silas. They may be a rowdy bunch but they would never do anything as uncouth as that."

"Dragons are vicious males when it comes to . . ."

"Stop right there Zaltana. A dragon lacrima may be implanted within Laxus but that doesn't mean he'll be anything like that."

"You better hope not or else there will be a fight." Ryker's face grew serious as he made his intentions known to his sister. "He has a hell of a long way to go and I'll be damned if I let him lay a single finger on your before he understands."

"Must you be so overprotective. In case you forgot I am a worthy opponent and can handle myself in a fight just fine." Roselle steeled herself against her brother's hard look.

"This isn't up for negotiation, Roselle Antoinette." She backed down when she heard her middle name on his lips. Ryker rarely ever called her anything but her first name, so to bring out her middle one said he meant business. "There are things Laxus and the Dragon need to learn, understand, and realize before anything can get past handholding, or lights pecks. You want the details you talk to Zaltana but until then you will mind your distance, please."

"I will try."

"That's all I ask. If you get paired on the same mission we will be watching to ensure no harm comes your way. I don't think we could handle anything bad happening to you, and once Laxus realized what happened he'd be torn up about it. Just wiser for everyone at this point, alright?" Roselle nodded her head, a bit deflated over where this conversation had gone but understanding why. She didn't like it but she understood the concern.

"Let's head in. These guys will be up shortly so they can find their own way in," Silas turned to leave the area.

"You guys aren't concerned about Odessa?" The three of them exchanged looks of unease.

"Right now, no. However, we all know that this mission will push her. She's a great marine biologist but Father has sheltered her for most of her life so for now, we aren't fretting." Silas answered as he watched his cousin begin to stir from her sleep. "Roselle, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We have no idea what will happen so best just leave that alone." Ryker and Zaltana had left the other two to further discuss.

"I hate this Silas," Roselle had tears in her eyes as she looked towards the castle. "All the lying, the skirting of conversations, it's awful."

"Hey," Silas gently placed his hand under her chin so that her watery eyes were looking into his own. "I don't like this either, tried to talk to Father about it, but I was stonewalled something fierce."

"Why can't we just get it out in the open? Nothing good comes from bottling such secrets up." Silas pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Fear does strange things to a person, makes what we see as rational irrational." He held her for a few more moments before he released her, grabbing her hand in comfort to lead her back to the palace.

Laxus was glaring at the white-haired mage, green with jealousy at seeing him embrace her with such ease. They were far enough away that he couldn't hear their conversation but he could smell tears in the air and that boiled his blood. It was obvious that Roselle cared a great deal about this newcomer, had given this stranger affection where he could barely get her to hold his hand. Whoever this person was, he was going to have to keep an eye out.

"Who knew sand could be so comfortable," Evergreen sat up yawning, stretching her arms overhead as she did so.

"Pretty sure you were using my ass as a cushion, Ever." Cana's groggy voice muttered as she pushed her mop of brown hair out of her face. "Granted I was doing the same with Juve's fine ass so who am I to complain." The water mage turned a bit red as she looked around the mass of people who had joined in the festivities last night. "I mean did you see how kick-ass she was last night?"

"I do not think I have ever seen your magic as fierce as it was last night!"

"Thank you Evergreen. Juvia has never really noticed how the moon affects her magic until this trip. Juvia feels rejuvenated. Odessa, what are you doing?" Juvia questioned as she watched the woman who was standing in the ocean with the water coming to her knees.

"Hmm? I don't know, it just felt like something was calling to me in the water." She shrugged her shoulders before venturing out, scooping up her blanket and shoes. "Breakfast will be ready soon, should we head in to get some?"

"Absolutely!" Cana linked arms with Odessa as the two started heading back.

"Juvia did not see Lucy at all last night. Juvia is wondering if you have seen her, Laxus."

"Boss." Bickslow kicked his knee to gain his attention. "You okay? Juves asked you a question and you're just staring at the hilltop."

"Hmm. Can you repeat that?"

"Juvia asked if you had seen Lucy."

"She wasn't feeling well after dinner so she headed to bed early." Laxus gave his best friend a pointed look before standing up, dusting the sand from his pants. "I'm sure she'll be at breakfast." He left the others behind, not caring if they were following him or not.

"What crawled up his ass?" Cana looked over at Bickslow and Evergreen, neither of which had an answer for her.

Breakfast was a quiet affair as Laxus sat brooding at one end of the table. Lucy wasn't here for breakfast, which was odd for her, but then again Roselle and the interloper were also missing. Ryker wasn't letting on to anything, if he did know something, he was hard to read lately. He wasn't sure if that had to do with his training, magic, or both but he was tenser lately.

"I am sorry to interrupt your meal," Master Makarov entered the room as silence filled it. "We'd like to get the meeting started within the next half hour so if you could all finish up and head into Hall D before then."

"Gramps," Laxus called out as he made his way to the short elder. "Have you seen Lucy this morning?"

"Do not concern yourself, she'll be at the meeting this morning."

"Gramps, she was carried in by . . ."

"I am well aware of what transpired with her last night Laxus and I assure you that she'll be at the meeting." Makarov left Laxus feeling more agitated than before. He didn't like seeing Roselle with someone else and sure as shit didn't like being kept in the dark when it came to his kin.

"Hey, Zappy!" Laxus whirled around as steel grey eyes met with vibrant yellow ones. He could hear several snickers in the background, most pronounced was Bickslow who he was super close to electrocuting for the hell of it. Her long white hair was tied up into a high ponytail and you could tell her body was toned due to the tight three-quarter length shirt and skinny jeans she was wearing.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Oh my. Aren't you a ball of emotions this morning. I'm Zaltana, daughter of Omar and Risa, the wild mage in the family." She walked around his large form several times, mumbling to herself about how she'd need to make note of this or that.

"Are you fucking finished?"

"Testy this morning aren't we?"

"And what's it to you?"

"Oh goodness! Now I hope I get to be paired up with your team. The broodiness and emotional retardedness are incredible. I wonder if I . . ."

"Zaltana," Odessa called from the table where she was standing, hands firmly planted on the table as she held her gaze.

"What's wrong, Odessa? I'm just wanting to get an understanding of how a slayer and his dragon works. What's wrong with that?"

"Firstly, he is a person. A moody person but not a beast so he can answer you normally. Secondly, did you forget to ask him? You'll have to forgive her Laxus, when Zaltana starts to nerd out like this she tends to forget proper protocol."

"Proper protocol? You're going to stand there and throw that phrase in my face? Don't make me laugh, Odessa."

"Ladies, your petty fights can happen later as we have a meeting to get too." Ryker grabbed Odessa's hand, pulling her from the room before this minor verbal war turned into the entire palace being demolished.

"Oil and water there, huh?" Cana whispered to Evergreen.

"Just a bit. Knowing what I know about Odessa and her ability to fight, plus what Roselle and Ryker filled us in on Zaltana I am not sure the palace would be standing after such a fight. Another Gray and Natsu situation?"

"Oh no. This was a sibling issue of some kind, but I can't say I don't mind some wholesome tea."

"Cana," Evergreen shook her head, "Am I going to have to start calling you Mira? Stirring the pot and watching events unfold just to gossip about them?"

"Mira two-point-oh at your service," she bowed low at the waist, pretending to take off a hat as she did so.

"You're ridiculous. Let's get going guys," Evergreen called, snapping her fan to emphasize her point. They all gathered into the small room, finding a seat around the round table.

"If you will all find your seats we will begin shortly," Makarov stated as he sat on his modified chair so that he could see everyone.

"Sorry I'm late," Lucy ran into the room looking fresh and bright for the first time in months. "Didn't realize I was that tired so I overslept this morning." Lucy took a seat beside Juvia and Cana, smiling brightly at Laxus with a small wave.

"Here you are, Lucy. I brought you a small array of food from breakfast."

"Oh, thank you!" Lucy squeezed his hand before he left to take a seat beside Roselle and Omar. Laxus glared at the little encounter, not liking how she seemed to know who this man was.

"As you are all aware we have several fronts that we are needing help on," Omar began as a hologram appeared in the middle of the table. "Freed and Gildarts have joined Risa, along with a small group of elite soldiers, to head to Desierto's capital where they will be joined by Erza and Jellal of Fairy Tail. I am happy to report that they have made it safely into the palace there. Now we have three other areas in which we require help. We need someone to look for the missing Crown Prince of Desierto, infiltrate Enca and verify the threat to the said Crown, and head into the heart of Desierto to investigate a call for help."

"Natsu, Gray, and Sting are already en-route to the last known location of the Crown Prince," Makarov spoke as the hologram changed to a picture of the destroyed safe house. "Evergreen, Cana, and Zaltana will be joining them with Zaltana being your point woman. You will be heading into dense forests and while we have two of the best noses helping out we need someone who knows Bellum terrain to lead."

"We are sending an elite team of spies to Enca. Bickslow, Silas, and Odessa will be meeting up with Gajeel, Rogue, and Cobra. Silas is in charge of this mission as he has traversed the country several times, knows of their customs and traditions as barbaric as they may be."

"Father!" Zaltana looked at the older man, "You can't be serious about sending Odessa there. That's just asking for . . ."

"Enough Zaltana. I am aware of what goes on in that horrid country but Odessa's magic is best served in such a place. Believe us," Omar looked over to Makarov who gave a single nod to confirm, "We have calculated the risks and together have discerned that the Enca team will be our best option." Zaltana looked over to Ryker, Silas, and Roselle before she sat down, knowing that there was nothing more to be said on the subject.

"The distress call will be attended to by Lucy, Juvia, Laxus, Roselle, and Ryker with the later leading this team. You will all need to be fitted with appropriate clothes before heading out into the scorching desert."

"Master, Juvia does not see how she will be of use to her team in a desert when Juvia is a water mage."

"Child, believe me when I say that your particular skill set will be an asset. Wendy and Mest will also be coming to the capital in a few day's time, in case there are injuries or situations become too intense and we need a fast exit. I have requested that Orga, Minerva, and Rufus join the castle guard, along with Levy. Mira is still manning the guild at home and I have requested the rest of Jellal's team to stay in the immediate area for support. These changes will be taking place the next several days as well."

"Everyone will be armed with a communication lacrima along with a distress beacon, courtesy of Lucy's spirit, Virgo," Omar smiled his thanks to the blonde who blushed. "Virgo will be coming to each team once you are all together with a beacon designed to fit the needs of its holder. The coms you will get before leaving this room. Are there any questions?"

"I suggest you all head back to pack as you'll all be leaving within the hour," Makarov stated as the room began to empty of the young mages, leaving just Makarov and Omar.

"Do you think the teams we have made are the best choice, Makarov?"

"Any way we divide the teams will pose some risk, those two risks are just greater in any given situation. We just have to trust that they'll be able to support one another through it all." The sounds of wings flapping caused both men to look up as a purple winged rabbit with a long tail flew into the room, landing directly in front of Omar. "A friend of yours?"

"One of Zaltana's pets. Jackalopes have replaced carrier pigeons in Bellum, Pip just happens to spend all of her free time with my daughter." Omar unwrapped the note from the furry creature's leg, patting it on the head after he had taken it off. Omar sighed as he sat back in his chair.

"Omar?"

"The note is from Zaltana, telling me in no uncertain terms how she does not think Odessa will fair well in Enca given her personality and history."

"You were asked to tell her several times before this, my friend."

"I am aware but I couldn't, can't, find the words to do so."

"This won't be easy no matter how it comes about but I still feel you could have handled this better. Can you live with her hating you?"

"I don't know, Makarov. I just don't know."

* * *

Ice blue eyes gazed around the busy bazaar as people went about shopping for their daily groceries. It was hot and humid yet everyone was wearing clothes that covered almost every piece of skin, except their eyes. You couldn't tell who was a man or woman or if they were carrying anything dangerous underneath all of their incredibly loose and baggy clothing. His magic allowed him to stay cool or warm no matter the weather, so the fact that he was walking around with his head uncovered and hair up were causing many people to gawk at him.

He was here for one purpose, and one purpose only; to find the blasted woman who had taken the King's treasure and hidden it from everyone five years ago. He had been in the King's service for three years now, climbing up the ranks rather fast to a point where he had created a name for himself. Ice Walker is what everyone referred to him as due to the chill he left as he struck down his targets mercilessly. He'd been tracking the treasure for the past six months, getting closer than anyone else had since it had disappeared.

Orange hair flew past him, dark green clothes giving away very little of who this person was. This was the second time he had seen those piercing green eyes in the last month and the first time that she was careless enough to have her head unhidden. Granted the city guard was chasing her, which was a bonus for him since he planned on following from the rooftops.

She was a full block ahead of the guards but he was right on top of her location, waiting to see what she would do against twenty armed men. She whistled twice, which he found an odd thing to do as she stopped beside a mound of loose sand. The roads here were made out of cemented sand, magically crafted to endure the harshness of the desert. He wasn't expecting a fennec fox to come from the sand, nor for the white sparks, it emitted before they disappeared altogether. Seems the old hag had managed to attach a teleportation device to the small creature, which was smart because those annoying pests were everywhere in the city so no-one would suspect a thing.

A smile worked its way onto his lips. Teleportation devices could only transport within a radius of the enchanter's ability. The King had told him that she was strong but now he knew where to start and he could expand his search as needed. He had endless resources at his fingertips so sending out scouting parties would be relatively easy. Besides, she had gotten sloppy which meant she was nervous about something and an unlevel head always led to more mistakes. Let the hunt begin.


	8. Chapter 8: Let the Patrols Begin

Freed stared at the expanse of the desert city watching it as the dust blew across the roads. The temperatures were reaching record highs and everyone was hiding indoors where it was safe from the scorching sun. They had been in the country of Desierto for a week now with Ambassador Risa, and it was a slow progression of calming down the current council members. Everyone was in a panic because the Crown Prince was still missing and they had absolutely no leads on where he might be or even who his captures were. They had sent out their own Knights in order to determine what had happened but there was nothing that they could find, they suspected no foul play either. Freed found this very concerning because the chances of there being no traces of magic or people in the vicinity were utterly disturbing.

Erza made sure that she was around the ambassador at all times. Gildarts and Jellal were part of the Ambassador's guard, constantly circulating around the palace or her rooms to ensure everything was safe. Everybody was on edge, and almost waiting for a fight to happen. Fairy Tail mages were no good at sitting around on their hands, idly waiting for something to happen wasn't what they do.

This afternoon the ambassador and the four fairy's were being granted access to the scene where the Crown Prince had been stolen from. Freed was suspicious about how long it was taking for the council to grant them access and was beginning to think that there was definitely someone playing on the inside here. With that being said he had already set up trackers on each of the council member's persons, steadily watching what they were doing and where they were going at all times. They were all on edge but he was pretty sure that had more to do with the fact that they weren't really doing anything except surveillance. Risa was keeping a calm demeanor throughout all of this while placating the councilmembers where she could when she could. However, when it was just the five of them in her room at night discussing the days events it was clear that she also suspected someone on the inside of capturing the prince.

"Freed," came the booming voice of the guild's patriarch, "We have been given access early to go in and see because the Ambassador has pushed for us to get in before any more damage or contamination can happen at the scene."

"That's great news. I'm glad we were finally able to make some headway in that department. I was getting concerned that by the time we got there that there would be nothing left, but as it already stands I don't know how much we will be able to decipher."

"The chances of there being any evidence left or any clues will be highly unlikely. However, we have you and you're our expert in all things magic plus we have Jellal who knows how councilmembers like to try and hide things, and Erza. You know that girls got some experience out in the field and those gut feelings have saved her ass a lot of times. If anybody can figure it out it'll be the five of us."

"Fair enough. I just don't like going into circumstances where we have very little information and we already know that the odds are stacked against us."

"How about we go save Jellal from the nights that accompanied us? I'm sure he could use a break from them right about now and Erza is still is playing shadow."

"I'm sure Jellal can hold his own but it would be nice to get out of this room. Stretch my limbs after watching so many surveillance videos and not finding anything. Maybe a break will just will be just what I need in order to refocus." The two men made their way down the hallway and out into an open courtyard where Jellal was facilitating exercises, sparring matches in order to keep everybody in tiptop shape and on defense. They also knew that this was his way of keeping an eye out on the Knights guard in order to make sure that Risa was safe and nothing was happening beneath their own noses. The chances of somebody being paid off to help with the assassination attempt could very well be located in Bellum.

"Jellal, we've been granted access early and we're wondering if you'd like to come with us to meet Erza and Risa at the safehouse. The ladies were already out and about gathering some supplies and shopping, therefore will be meeting us there."

"Perfect. I've been waiting for us to be able to get in there, the fact that we've had to wait so long is concerning."

"We were just discussing that earlier. Do you need to gather anything before we head out?"

"No, I should be good, thank you. Are we just taking one of the palace's carriages this afternoon?"

"No, I was thinking we needed a little bit more . . . excitement in our lives."

"We're not getting a ride with women, are we?"

"Freed! While I do like giving a woman a good time that's not the kind of ride that you should be insinuating here."

"Well, what did you have in mind then Gildarts?"

"In the stable, they have some sand runners that look very very bored could definitely use a stretch right about now."

"Does the stable master know what your plans are here?"

"Yeah, he's aware, but he wasn't very enthused that we wanted to take them out. I've been reading up on them while we've been here."

"Hold up, you've been reading?" Jellal surprised expression couldn't be hidden.

"Contrary to popular belief I do know how to do more than just fuck women and use my fists in battle." The three of them made their way to the stable as Gildarts pushed open the large set of doors that opened up into a well-lit arena.

"Gildarts, you are aware that these are very large snakes that we are going to attempt to put saddles on. What makes you think that this was such a great idea?" Freed's eyes were large as he looked at their mode of transportation.

"Relax you worrywart. I've already been here several times to visit with these adorable creatures. They honestly just like look like very large cobras and they can blend in nicely with our desert appearances."

"Back again are you Gildarts? I've got three saddled and ready to go for you as per your instructions. You'll just need to let them introduce themselves to you and you'll be good to go."

"Introduce themselves? What exactly does this entail?" Jellal curiously asked the snake charmer.

"The snakes are trained from the time that they're young to defend their riders. In order for them to do that they need to be able to take in your scent and know who you are, so you'll be tongue tickled."

"I'm sorry, did you just say tongue tickled?" The shade of red on Jellal's face told everyone that his mind had went to the gutter.

"Yes. They're essentially going to lick you so that they can get a sense of who you are, how you smell, and anything else that may describe to you. The whole reason the snake sticks out his tongue is a test its environment."

"Let's not keep everyone waiting. Hop on boys and let's get the show on the road."

Gildarts hopped on as if it was as simple as hopping onto a horse. The other two had some reservations about getting onto the back of a snake that was almost 3 times as large as they were. But what were they to do since Gildarts had already spent the time to get this ready and they couldn't really afford to lose any more of it.

"Just a reminder that the snakes are not compatible with water. They can survive the desert heat and even some flames but put them in water and there is good as dead. You kill my life stock and I will hunt you down."

"Duly noted." Freed was not expecting the initial lurch forward as the snakes exited their pens. He also did not expect for them to be moving so fast. He'd watch snakes on the ground before and normally they can move quite quickly using the ground to push themselves amongst it but when you have snakes of this magnitude I guess it's all just amplified.

"How long do you think it'll take us to reach our destination?"

"At the current speed, we're going maybe 15 minutes." They could almost reach the crime scene one suddenly they heard sirens filling the area. They looked up to see smoke rising in the direction that they were heading which didn't bode well for them. Upon arrival they saw Erza and Risa standing off to the side, completely unharmed, however, the redhead looked like she was going to murder somebody.

"What's going on?" Gildarts inquired as they approached the women on their snakes.

"We were five minutes late to get to our appointment here and be let in. Five minutes too late apparently because when we got here this place was already covered in flames."

"While this is true we have to be thankful, Erza, that we were not inside of that building. We might've lost the evidence but we did not lose our lives and that is something to be grateful for."

"I know that you are right, but it still makes me angry that now we won't be able to investigate any further on this front. Makes we wish Natsu were here to eat the flames."

"How about we ask the citizens some questions and investigate? Someone around here must've seen something. This is all too coincidental if you ask me." With that Erza and Risa headed off in one direction and the men headed out separately since it was time to get back to basics and pound the pavement.

* * *

Makarov was sitting in his own private study, waiting for the mages to gather as he requested. He had sent several messages to his guild to help with protection around the palace in the capital of Bellum, plus one another guild. From his own guild, he had asked Levy, Mest, and Wendy while Sabertooth volunteered Orga, Rufus, and Minerva all of which had their strong points. Mest because he'd be able to get everybody in and out rather fast if it came down to that, however he didn't suspect that to be the case here. Levy, he wanted as an extra set of eyes and ears and brainpower, there was a vast library here and she was sure to be able to put some pieces together for him. Wendy was a great healer who had made great strides lately, and with all of her dragon senses and abilities would be an asset. Orga was a goddess slayer, one that was getting up into the same ranks as his grandson. Rufus would be able to team up with Levy and the two of them would make an unstoppable team, of that he was quite sure. And Minerva she was his wild card who was also going to be one of the best offensive and defensive mages that he had.

While Levy and Rufus kept to the books Orga, Minerva and Mest would be on patrol in the palace, ears to the ground listening for any and everything about the threat to the Crown Prince, he had talked to Erza not long ago, listening to her rant about how the council was stalling to let them see the scene where the Prince was stolen, which had set him on edge immediately. After being a master of Fairy Tail for so long there were certain mischievous happenings here that couldn't be avoided.

"Do you want to see us, Master?" Wendy asked from behind the door.

"Yes please, come on in. Help yourself to any refreshments or food at the table, I know you haven't been here long but I didn't want this to wait any longer."

"The King has already debriefed us on what is going on. I get the feeling that he wasn't being entirely truthful about everything." Rufus took some fruit before sitting down in an open chair.

"You would be correct in that assumption. Omar and I have decided to limit the king's interaction with all parties involved. Omar will deal with the king and I will deal with all of the mages."

"Why the separation?" Minerva poured a glass of red wine then sat on the armrest Rufus was occupying.

"The less the king is aware of right now the better it is for our people out in the field. There is an excellent chance that there is a spy operating amongst us. There is no need to put Ambassador Risa in harm's way or any of our own."

"So the assignments we were given are we not supposed to follow them?" Orga's plate was piled high with various food.

"No, you'll be following as the king is directed but there will be a few side notes if you will." Makarov filled them in on everything that has transpired and which groups were working where, and what the plan was for the palace here.

"Clearly you have some thoughts about everything that's going on here." Levy was looking at the books that lined the shelves of the room.

"I believe that we have an inside force that hired outsiders to capture the prince. Whether or not the current king is part of that plan is yet to be determined. The king knows that we have a team in Desierto looking for clues to where they were supposed to meet at the safe house. What he doesn't know is that we actually have a team who is pursuing the only lead that we have as to their whereabouts, as she expressed how frustrations earlier."

"Oh yeah, I bet that went over well." Meat laughed into his cup.

"Indeed. The king is also unaware that we have sent a second team into the heart of Desierto to investigate a call for help. We have kept all of the distress signal calls out of his hands and ears."

"Who handles all of this information then?" Minerva asked while taking a grape from Rufus' plate.

"Omar has an inside man who handles all of the messages that come into the castle. From there it's determined what the king shall see and what he wants."

"So we're essentially just roaming around this place, listening for any information and being prepared for what might be a fight, on the very slim chance that it happens." Orga sounded a bit off-put with that knowledge.

"That pretty much sums it up. I assume that you were all settled in already though."

"Yeah pretty much. Most of us packed light as we don't know exactly what we would be doing or where we will be going. All except one." Rufus pointedly looked at his female friend.

"I packed just enough for your information."

"My information says that you have over packed, yet again."

"You don't actually start until tomorrow so I suggest you take the time to relax today. I don't know how much of that you're going to be getting in the next couple of days or weeks. Be on your guard at all times." With that Gramps walked out of the room leaving the six mages to themselves.

"Well, what should we all do while we're here?" Wendy sat in her chair, rocking back and forth impatiently.

"How about we do some exploring? I use a stretch or at least minor workout." Orga rotated his torso from side to side.

"Do you ever think about NOT fighting?" Minerva haughtily poked fun at her guildmate.

"Do you ever think?" The group burst out into laughter as they made their way down the hall, stopping a maid and asking for directions as to where the kitchen was. One thing was for sure it was going to be an interesting time while they were here. New people, new dangers, new fights to be had.


End file.
